the first Person of the Trinity call'd Father Ibid. What belongs to the Divine Persons ought not to be curiously search'd into Ibid. Christian Philosophy differs from the wisdom of the World 16 What the Philosophers thought of God Ibid. The Pope of Rome is the Head of the Catholic Church 92 The Supreme Dignity and Jurisdiction of the Pope of Divine Right Ibid. The Pope is the Supreme Governour of the Universal Church the Successor of St. Peter and Christ's true and lawful Vicar Ibid. God is first to be pray'd to and then the Saints 464 The best way of praying 457 For whom we must pray 461 The Saints are to be pray'd to and after what manner we beg them to take pity on us 464 The manner of Prayer 469 We must pray in Spirit and Truth Ibid. Infidels cannot pray in Spirit and Truth 470 We must pray in Christ's name 471 By praying to God we honour him 452 The Divine Majesty approaches to him that prays 551 They that pray converse with God Ibid. The benefits and advantages of such as pray 452 Many degrees of Prayer and Thanksgiving 455 c. The manner of vocal Prayer 469 What sinners God hears and helps when they pray 558 Prayer to God necessary 450 Christ pray'd all night 470 The power that Prayer has with God 471 The profitableness and advantage of Prayer 452 c. Prayer is an argument of Religion Ibid. By Prayer we acknowledge our subjection to God Ibid. Prayer is the Key of Heaven Ibid. The Vertue and Advantage of Prayer Ibid. Of what parts Prayer consists 455 The two principal parts of Prayer 456 The Prayer of such as have not yet receiv'd the light of Faith 458 The Prayer of such as God hears not 459 Prayers for the wicked have great influence 462 Prayers for the Dead in Purgatory flow'd from the Apostles Ibid. Prayers for such as are in mortal sin not very efficacious Ibid. What he ought to think that pronounces the Lord's Prayer before the Images of the Saints 465 Prayer must be humble Ibid. The preparation of Prayer Ibid. What sins they must avoid that would have their Prayers heard of God 466 Contempt of God's Laws makes our Prayers execrable Ibid. Prayer admits of no doubting 467 Mental Prayer excludes not vocal 469 Mental Prayer is more excellent Ibid. The proper advantage and necessity of vocal Prayer Ibid. Private and public Prayer 470 The Exposition of the Lord's Prayer 472 The Preface of the Lord's Prayer Prayer made for another profits himself 481 Prayer is a weapon against the Devil 541 The order to be observed in Prayer 545 The preposterous order us'd by some in their Prayers 544 The Preaching of God's word never to be intermitted In the Preface The authority of the Preachers of God's word Ibid. Preparation to Prayer wherein it consists 465 Preparation before the Communion what it ought to be and how necessary 225 226 Preparation to the Communion requires us to come fasting 227 The Priest alone has the power of consecrating the Eucharist 232 VVhen Christ instituted Prists 235 Priests are to conceal in perpetual silence the sins reveal'd to them in Confession 268 Priests call'd Gods and Angels 293 The Priests of the New Testament more excellent than all others 293 297 The Priests Power very great 294 VVhat they ought to propose to themselves that are to be initiated into Holy Orders Ibid. Mercenary Priests 294 295 Priests entring in by the door of the Church 295 VVhen the Power is given to the Priest by the Bishop Pag. 298 The Ceremonies used in Ordaining Priests and other Clerks 298 c. The Order of Priesthood tho it be burdensom yet it has divers degrees of Dignity and Power 308 VVhat is requir'd in him that is to be made Priest 311 VVhat knowledge is required in a Priest Ibid. Two duties of a Priest Ibid. The Nobility and Excellency of a Priest 236 The charge of a Priest to be lay'd upon none rashly 310 VVho are said to be call'd to the Priesthood 294 The Power of the Priesthood double 296 The Power of the Priesthood of the Law of the Gospel far more excellent than that of the written Law or Law of Nature 297 The Power of the Priesthood of the Gospel has its Original from Christ Ibid. That Priesthood two-fold 306 The Office of the Priesthood 307 The duty of Prosecutors and Advocates 434 God's Providence towards Men. 490 c. Purgatory 57 R REdemption the great benefits we receive thereby 54 Remedies against evil desires Pag. 447 The remedies of a sick soul are Penance and the Eucharist 289 Remission of sins to be had in the Church 102 With how great thankfulness the benefit of remission of sins is to be receiv'd 103 Christ has given the power of remitting sins in the Church to the Bishops and Priests Ibid. Our sins remitted by Christ's blood 105 None can obtain remission of sins without Penance 526 Restitution necessary to a Penitent 419 Who are to be compell'd to make restitution 419 420 The Resurrection of Christ and the glorious Mystery of it 62 c. Christ rose again by his own power 61 By the benefit of the Resurrection Christ is become the first fruits of all Ibid. That Christ rose again the third day how to be understood 62 The mystery of Christ's Resurrection very necessary 63 The end of Christ's Resurrection 64 What examples Christ's Resurrection proposes to us 65 The signs of spiritual Resurrection Ibid. Our Faith establish'd by the belief of the Resurrection of the dead 107. Why the Resurrection of man is called the Resurrection of the Flesh 107 The Resurrection of the Flesh proved by Examples and Testimonies 108 The different condition of them that shall rise again 111 Before the Resurrection all then alive shall die without exception Ibid. Our Bodies shall rise again immortal 114. The powers of those that rise again Ibid c. What fruits we gather by the Article of the Resurrection 116 Robbery and its kinds 417 Robbery a greater sin than Theft 414 Robbery and the various kinds of Rapine 417 S THe celebration of the Sabbath why so often commanded in holy Scripture 369 What Sabbath signifies 373 What the signification of Sabbath is ibid. Why the Sabbath consecrated to God 375 The Sabbath was a sign Ibid. The Sabbath in Heaven Ibid. Why the Sabbath transferr'd to the Lord's day 376 After what manner the Sabbath is to be observ'd 377 The name Sacrament how taken 127 What a Sacrament is 128 Justice and Salvation attain'd by the Sacraments 128 St. Austin's definition of a Sacrament Ibid. Sacraments referr'd to those things they signifie 129 c. Sacraments are signs appointed of God 130 A sacred thing and the Grace of God 131 A Sacrament signifies and works Holiness Ibid. Sacraments signifie divers things 132 The Sacraments of the Law of the Gospel why instituted 133 Every Sacrament consists of two things Matter and Form 135 Among all signs words have
remission both of Sin and Punishment Trid. Sess 5. Can. 5. Aug. 12. de â—eccat Meâ—â— c. 28. when at our first profession of Faith we are cleans'd by Holy Baptism is so fully given us that nothing either of Sin whether contracted by Birth or Wilfully committed remains to be wip'd away or of Punishment to be endur'd But yet by the Grace of Baptism no one is wholly freed from the Infirmity of Nature But rather whereas every one ought to strive against the motions of Concupiscence which forbear not to provoke us to sin hardly can there be found any one who resists either so stoutly or guards his own safety so watchfully as to be able to shun all miscarriages Since therefore it was needful that in the Church there should be a power of Forgiving Sins IV. The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven deliver'd to the Church Matt. 16.19 and also by some other way than by the Sacrament of Baptism the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven were committed to her Trust whereby sins might be forgiven to every penitent person altho he had sinn'd to the last day of his Life Of this matter we have most clear Testimonies in Holy Scripture Matt. 18.18 For in S. Matthew the Lord says thus to Peter I will give thee the Keys of Heaven and whatsoever Thou shalt bind on Earth shall be bound also in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth shall be loos'd also in Heaven So also Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound also in Heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loos'd also in Heaven And then S. John testifies That the Lord when he breath'd upon the Apostles said Joh. 20.23 Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose Sins soever ye remit they are remitted to them and whose soever Sins ye retain they are retain'd Nor are we to think that this Power is restrained to some certain kinds of Sins For there is no Sin so heinous can be either committed or imagin'd for pardoning whereof the Holy Church has not a Power even as there is no one so vile and wicked to whom if he truly repent him of his Errors a certain hope of Pardon ought not to be offer'd But neither is this very Power so limited as that it may be us'd at some appointed Time only For at what hour soever a sinner will return to Health he is not to be rejected as our Savior has taught when to the Prince of Apostles asking him how oft we must pardon those that offend whether seven times he answered Matt. 18.11 Not to seven times only but even to seventy times seven But if we consider the Ministers of this Divine Power VI. This Power committed to the Bishops and Priests Trid. Sess 14. c. 6. Hieron Ep. 1 pâ—st med Amb de Can Abet c. 4. it will seem not so large For the Lord gave not the Power of this so Holy a Gift to All but only to the Bishops and Priests The same thing is to be believ'd as to the Way or Manner of exercising this Power For by the Sacraments only so that the Form of them be kept sins may be forgiven but otherwise there is no Power of absolving from sin given to the Church Whence it follows that as well the Priests as the Sacraments are as it were Instruments to the forgiveness of Sins by which Christ our Lord who is the very Author and giver of Salvation works in us Forgiveness of Sins and Righteousness But that the Faithful may with the deepest thankfulness lay hold of and embrace this heavenly Gift VII How great a Grace the Remission of Sins is which by the special Mercy of God is given to his Church Trid. Sess 6. c. 7. Sess 14. c. 1. and that they may come to the use and practice thereof with the more ardent study of Piety the Curat shall endeavour to evidence the dignity and largeness of this Grace and this may be seen chiefly from hence if he shall have well expounded of what efficacy it is that sins are forgiven and that unjust men are made just For it is manifest that this is done by the infinite and immense Power of God which we must needs believe to be the very same with that of raising up the Dead and creating of the World But if Aug Tract 72. in Joan. Aug. lib. 1. de pâ—ccat merit c. 23. lib. 50. Hom. 23. Amb. de Abel c. 4. as is confirm'd by that saying of S. Austin it be to be thought a harder work to make a wicked Man Good than to create Heaven and Earth out of nothing since that creation cannot be but by an Infinite Power it consequently follows That the Forgiveness of Sinners is much more to be attributed to an Infinite Power Wherefore we own that those sayings of the ancient Fathers are most true wherein they confess that Sins are pardon'd to Men by God only Nor is so wonderful a work to be referr'd to any other Author Isay 43. than to his supream Goodness and Power I am He says the Lord himself by the Prophet I am he that blot out your Iniquities For there seems to be the same Reason in the forgiving of Sins as ought to be observ'd in a Debt of Mony As therefore Mony which is owing cannot be forgiven by any but the Creditor so when we are bound to God only by reason of Sin for we dayly pray Forgive us our Debts it is manifest our Debts can be forgiven us by no body but by himself But this admirable and divine Gift VIII Christ first of all had the Power of forgiving Sins Matt. 9.6 Mar. 2.9 before God was made Man was never imparted to any created Nature Christ our Savior first of all as Man tho he was true God also received this Gift of his Heavenly Father That ye may know that the Son of Man has power on Earth to forgive Sins says he to the lame Man Rise take up thy Couch and go to thy own Home When therefore he was made Man that he might bestow this Forgiveness of Sins upon Men before he ascended up into Heaven there to sit forever at the right-hand of God he granted this Power to the Bishops and Priests in the Church Altho as before we said Christ forgives sins by his own Authority but all the rest only as his Ministers Wherefore if we ought to admire and receive those things chiefly which are done by an Infinite Power IX The Power of forgiving Sins the greatest of Christ's Gifts 1 Pet. 3.18 we may wel enough perceive that this Gift which by the bounty of Christ our Lord is given to his Church is the most precious Yea very Reason also will powerfully stir up the minds of the Faithful to contemplate the greatness of this benefit whereby God our most merciful Father has determin'd to blot out the Sins of the World For he was willing to expiate
and undertakes to lead a new way and manner of Life it is but just not to grant Baptism to any one that is unwilling to receive it or that refuses it but to them only who chearfully and freely receive it Wherefore by Holy Tradition it has bin receiv'd Aug. de poen Mediâ— c. 2. D. Thom. 2. p. q. 68. sect 7. and always observ'd Not to administer Baptism to any before he be ask'd whether he wills it Nay even in Children and Infants it must be suppos'd that that Will is not wanting Since the Will of the Church which answers for them is not obscure Besides Madmen and Furious XXXIX Wheter Mad persons ought to be baptiz'd and when D. Thom. 3.3 p. q. 86. art 12. who being sometimes in their Wits and then falling again into Madness have at that time no Will to receive Baptism are not to be baptiz'd unless there be danger of Life But when they are in such danger of Life if before they began to fall mad they gave any Tokens of their Will to be baptiz'd they are to be baptiz'd Note .. But if not we must abstain from administring it to such The same thing ought to be judg'd of them that sleep But if they never were in a sound mind so that they had no use of Reason they are to be baptiz'd in the Faith of the Church no otherwise than Children are who want reason as both the Authority and Practice of the Church sufficiently declare But besides the Will of Baptism XL. Three things requir'd in Adult persons to be baptiz'd Faith Penance and a Purpose to forsake sin Marc. 16.19 Faith also is very necessary to attain the Grace of that Sacrament for the same reason as was said concerning the Will For our Lord and Savior has taught He that believes and is baptiz'd shall be sav'd And then there is need that every one repent of his Sins and of his ill-spent life and resolve for the future to abstain from all sin For otherwise he that desires Baptism so as that he will not amend his custom of sinning is by all means to be rejected for there is nothing so contrary to the Grace and Vertue of Baptism as the Mind and Purpose of those is who never put to themselves an end of sinning Seeing therefore that Baptism is to be desir'd for this end that we might put on Christ and be joyn'd with him it is plainly manifest that he is deservedly to be rejected from Holy Baptism who purposes to persevere in sin and Vice Note But especially because none of all those things which belong to Christ and his Church are to be undertaken in vain And we know well enough if we consider the Grace of Righteousness and Salvation that Baptism will be in vain to him who purposes to live according to the Flesh Rom. 8.1 and not according to the Spirit Altho as to the Sacrament it self without all doubt he does receive the perfect Reason thereof only if so be when he is rightly baptiz'd he purposes to receive what by Holy Church is administr'd Wherefore the Prince of Apostles answer'd to that great multitude which as the Scripture says being prick'd at the Heart Act. 2.50 ask'd of him and the rest of the Apostles what they should do Do Penance says he and be baptiz'd every one of you And in another place Do Penance and be converted that your sins may be blotted out And S. Paul writing to the Romans plainly shews him who is baptiz d that by all means he ought to dye to sin and therefore he warns us not to yield our members as weapons of iniquity to sin but to yield our selves to God as those that are risen from the Dead Now if the Faithful often meditate on these things XLI How profitable this Doctrine of Baptism is they will be compell'd earnestly to admire that infinite goodness of God who being led by his own mercy only has bestow'd so singular and so divine a benefit upon them who deserv'd no such matter And then when they put before their Eyes how free their life ought to be from every crime who are adorn'd with so great a gift They will easily understand that this is first of all requir'd of Christians to study to lead every day of their Life so holily and religiously as if that very day they had receiv'd the Sacrament and grace of Baptism Altho to inflame their Souls with the study of true Piety there can be nothing more profitable than for the Pastors diligently to explain what the Effects of Baptism are Of these things therefore because it must often be treated XLII The Effects of Baptism The fi st Remâ—ssion of sins that the Faithful may the better perceive that they are plac'd in the highest degree of dignity and never suffer themselves at any time to be cast down thence by any wiles or violence of the adversary it is necessary to teach them this thing first of all that sin whether contracted by birth from our first-parents or committed of our selves altho it is so necessary that it seems not able to be imagin'd by the admirable vertue of this Sacrament is remitted and pardon'd This was long before prophesi'd by Ezekiel Ezek. 36.25 by whom our Lord God says thus I will pour clean Water upon you and ye shall be cleans'd from all your filthithiness And the Apostle to the Corithians after a long reckoning up of sins 1 Cor. 6.11 subjoyn'd And these things ye were but ye are Wash'd but ye are sanctified And it is manifest that this Docttine has bin always deliver'd by the Catholic Church For S. Austin in his Book which he wrote of the Baptism of Infants testifies thus Lib. 1 de peccat met remiss c 15 Eph. 85 ante medium Sess 5. can 5. By carnal generation we contract only original sin but by regeneration of the Spirit there is Forgiveness not only of orginal but also of wilful sins And S. Hierom to Oceanus All sins says he in Baptism are forgiven And that no one may doubt any more of this matter after the Definition of other Councils the Council of Trent has declar'd the same thing when she decreed an Anathema against those who presum'd to think otherwise or who doubted not to assert That tho in Baptism sin were forgiv'n yet it is not wholly taken away or pull'd up by the Roots but rac'd or scarr'd in a manner so that the roots of sin yet remain fasten'd in the Soul For to use the words of the same Holy Synod God hates nothing in the Regenerate because there is no condemnation to those who are truly bury'd with Christ by Baptism into death who walk not according to the Flesh But putting off the Old man and putting on the New which is created according to God they are made innocent spotless pure without hurt and lov'd of God Of this effect of Baptism See Aug. lib. 1.
contra duas Epist Pelag c. 13. lib 3. c. 5 in Ench. c. 64. lib. 1. de nupt concupisc c. 25. Item Greg. lib. 9. Epist 39. Conc. Vien Florent in Mater de Sacram. It most be confess'd indeed XLIII Concupiscence remaining in those thâ—t are baptiz'd is not sin Augâ—st as in the same place by authority of That Holy Synod has bin decreed that even in those that are baptiz'd there does remain Concupiscence or a kind of scum But that has not truly the Reason or Nature of sin For according to S. Austin In little Children baptiz'd the guilt of Concupiscence is absolv'd tho the Concupiscence it self remain till Death And elswhere he testifies The Guilt of Concupiscence in Baptism is loos'd but the Infirmity remains For Concupiscence which proceeds of sin is nothing else but an Appetite of the mind by its own nature repugnant to Reason Which motion notwithstanding if it have not the Consent of the Will or Negligence joyn'd with it is far from the true nature of sin But when S. Paul says I had not known Concupiscence to be sin Rom. 7.7 if the Law had not said Thou shalt not covet By these words he means not the very Concupiscence it self but the Corruption of the Will The same Doctrine S. Gregory taught writing thus Lib 9 Regist Epist 39. If there be any who say that in Baptism sin is forgiven only superficially or as to the outward commission of it what can be spoken more like an Infidel than this since by the Sacrament of Faith the Soul is absolv'd from sin even to the very Roots thereof And to prove this he uses the testimony of our Savior when in S. John he says Joh. 13.10 He that is wash'd needs not but to wash his Feet but is clean throughout Now if any one would see an express Figure and resemblance of this matter XLIV A Figure of Bapti m. 4 Reg. 9.14 let him contemplate the History of Naaman the Syrian's Leprosie who when he had wash'd himself seven times in the Water of Jordan he was so cleans'd from his Leprosie as the Scripture witnesses That his Flesh became like the Flesh of a little Child Wherefore the proper Effect of Baptism is the Forgiveness of all sins whether contracted by Original Corruption or by our own Fault For which cause it was instituted by our Lord and Savior as to omit other Testimonies the Prince of Apostles shew'd in most clear words Act. 2.38 when he said Repent and let every one of you be baptiz'd in the name of Jesus Christ for the râ—mission of sins Of concupiscence remaining in those that are baptiz'd See Aug. lib. 1. de peccat merit remiss c. 39. Item lib. 1. cont duas Epist Pelag. c. 13. l. 3. c. 3. in medio lib. 1. de nupt concupisc c. 23. 25. Item lib. 6. cont Julian q. 5. de verb. Apost Serm 6. But now in Baptism not only sins are remitted XLV The Second effect of Baptism The remission of the Punishment due to sin Rom. 9.3 but also all the Punishments of sins and wickedness are graciously pardon'd of God For tho it be common to all the Sacraments that by them is communicated the vertue of Christ our Lords Passion yet of Baptism only is it said by the Apostle that through it we dye and are bury'd together with Christ Whence Holy Church always understood that without exceeding great wrong to this Sacrament it could not be that those Offices of Piety or Devotion which by a usuâ—â— name the Fathers call'd works of Satisfaction could be enjoyn'd to him that was to be cleans'd by this Sacrament That the Punishments due to sin are remitted in Baptism See Ambros in cap. 11. ad Rom. Aug. lib. 1. de nupt concupisc c. 33. in Ench. cap. 4. D. Thom. 3. Art p. q. 69. art 2. unde nec nulla est imponenda penitentia Greg. lib. 7 regist Epist 24. habetur de consecrat dist 4. cap. Ne quod absit D. Thom. p. q. 68. ar 5. Nor are the things which we here teach contrary to the practice or custom of the Ancient Church XLVI Works of Penance before Baptism to what purpose which antiently requir'd the Jews when they were to be baptiz d to fast forty days together For that was not ordain'd for satisfaction For those that receiv'd Baptism were by that means admonish'd that for the more reverencing of the Dignity of that Sacrament they should for some time without intermission give themselves to Fasting and Prayer But tho we ought to be assur'd that in Baptism the Punishment of Sin is pardon'd XLVII What Punishments are not remitted in Baptism yet no one is freed from that kind of punishment which is deserv'd of the Civil Judgement for any grievous Crime So as that he that deserves to dye should be freed by baptism from the punishment appointed by the Laws Note Notwithstanding the Religion and Piety of those Princes is highly to be commended who that the Glory of God in his Sacraments might be made the more illustrious do at the Fonts remit and pardon that punishment also Besides Baptism procures us after the stage of this life a freedom and discharge from all those punishments which follow Original Sin for by merit of our Lord's Death it is that we obtain these things But as was said before Rom. 5.6 by Baptism we dye with him For if as the Apostle says we are planted together with him in the likeness of his Death we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection But if any one ask XLVIII Why after Baptism we are not freed from all Misery of Life why immediately after Baptism and even in this mortal life we are not freed from these inconveniences and are not carry'd by vertue of this Sacred Washing into that perfect state of life in which Adam the first Father of Mankind was plac'd before he sinn'd we must answer that this is thus done for Two reasons especially The First of which is The First Reason That we who by Baptism are knit to the Body of Christ and are made his Members might not receive greater dignity than our Head Since therefore Christ our Lord tho from his first birth he had the Fulness of Grace and Truth yet he laid not down the Frailty of Humane Nature which he took before he had endur'd the torments of his Passion and Death it self and then he rose to the Glory of Life Everlasting who can wonder when he sees the Faithful who have already by Baptism got the grace of the righteousness of Heaven to be notwithstanding yet cloath'd with weak decaying Bodies that afterwards having gone through many labors for Christ's sake and last of all even through Death it self they may be called again to life and be found worthy to enjoy an everlasting Age with Christ Another cause why after Baptism
stir up the minds of the Faithful to receive the Grace of this Sacrament with the greatest Devotion Now the Form is I absolve thee Which we may gather not only from these words Matt. 18 16. Whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth shall be bound also in Heaven but we receive the same as deliver'd by the Apostles from the same Doctrin of Christ our Lord. And because the Sacraments do signifie that which they effect Those words I absolve thee shew that Remission of sins is wrought in the Administration of this Sacrament it is evident that This is the perfect Form of Penance For sins are as it were Bands wherewith the Soul is held bound and from which by the Sacrament of Penance it is discharg'd Note Which verily the Priest may pronounce no less truly concerning that Man also who by vertue of a most ardent Contrition yet so as that he has the Wish of Confession has obtain'd from God the Pardon of his sins There are added moreover many Prayers XX. Why Prayers added to the Form of Penance not as necessary to the Form but that those things may be remov'd which may hinder the Vertue and Efficacy of the Sacrament through his Fault to whom it is administer'd Wherefore let sinners give great thanks to God who has given so large a Power to the Priests in his Church For neither XXI The Priests of the New more excellent than those of the Old Law Lev. 13.9 as in old times and under the old Law declar'd only by the Priests Testimony that some one was freed from Leprosie is there now a Power in the Church given to Priests only to declare any person to be absolv'd from sin But they do as the Ministers of God truly absolve them the same thing which God himself does who is the Author and Father of Grace and Righteousness Now the Faithful shall diligently observe the Rites also XXII What must be observ'd in coming to Penance which are us'd at this Sacrament for so it will come to pass that they will have those things better in their mind which they get in this Sacrament That as Servants they are reconcil'd to their most merciful Lord or as Children rather to their most dear Father and they will also more easily understand what they ought to do who are willing for all ought to be willing to approve themselves grateful for and mindful of so great a Benefit for he that does Penance for his sins will cast himself down with an humble and dejected mind at the Feet of the Priest that behaving himself so humbly he may plainly acknowledg that the Roots of Pride are to be pluck'd up from whence all those sins he bewails spring and had their beginning But in the Priest who sits over him as his lawful Judg he venerates the Power and Person of Christ the Lord. For the Priest as in other Sacraments so in the ministring of the Sacrament of Penance discharges the Office of Christ And then the Penitent so reckons up his sins that he confesses himself worthy of the greatest and severest punishment and humbly begs pardon of his sins All which things have most sure Evidence and Testimony of their Antiquity from S. Dennys In Ep. ad Demoph vide Tertul. lib. de Poenit. c. 9. But nothing verily so much profits the Faithful XXIII What wholsome Fâ—ui s may be taken by Penance and nothing gives them a greater chearfulness to undergo Penance as for the Pastors often to explain how great profit we may gather thence for they will understand that it may truly be said of Penance That the Roots thereof ore bitter indeed but the Fruits are most sweet All the Vertue therefore of Penance lies herein The First that it restores us to the Grace of God and joins us with him in the greatest Friendship Con. Trid. Sess 14. can 3. c. 1. de Poenit. Now after this Reconciliation The Second and Third follows sometimes in devout Men who receive this Sacrament holily and religiously the greatest Peace and Tranquâ—lity of Conscience together with the sweetest spiritual Delight For there is no wickedness The Fourth how grievous and heinous soever which the Sacrament of Penance blots not out once and again and ost-times Of which matter the Lord by the Prophet says Ezek. 18 21 If the Wicked Man do Penance for all his sins which he has done and will keep my Precepts and do my Judgment and Justice he shall live and not dye I will not remember all his iniquities which he has done And S. John If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins And a little after If any man sin says he we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole World Note But whereas we read in Scripture that some have not obtain'd Mercy of the Lord altho they earnestly implor'd it This we understand to have bin so because they did not do Penance truly and from their Heart for their sins When therefore such Sentences occur XXIV How it is to be understood that some sins are unpardonable either in Holy Scripture or in the Writings of the Holy Fathers wherein they seem to affirm that some certain sins cannot be pardon'd We must interpret them so as that we understand the Procureing of Pardon to be very difficult For as some diseases are therefore said to be incurable because the Sick person is so affected that he loaths the vertue of the Medicine that should cure him So there is a kind of sin which is not remitted nor forgiven for this reason because it repels the proper Medicine of Salvation which is the Grace of God In this sense it is said by S. Austin Aug. l. 1. de Serm. Dom. in monte c. 42. 44. Retract li. c. 8 19. So great is the pollution of that sin when after the knowledg of God through the Grace of Christ any one opposes himself to the fellowship thereof and maliciously acts against that Grace that he cannot undergo the Humility of begging Pardon altho by his evil Conscience he be forc'd to acknowledg and declare his sin Vide Aug. Serm. 1. de verb. Dom. Epist 50. ad Bonif But to return to Penance XXV Without Penance there is no Remission of sins Luc. 13.3 This is so much the Property thereof to blot out sin that without Penance we can by no means get or so much as hope for Pardon of sin For it is written Except you have Penance ye shall all likewise perish which indeed was spoken by our Lord of grievous and deadly sin altho the Lesser sins also which are call'd Venial do need some kind of Penance For S. Austin says Since there is a kind of Penance which is daily done in the Church for Venial sins That
verily would be vain if Venial could be forgiven without Penance Aug. lib. 50. Hom. â—0 item Epist 168. Ench. cap. 71. But because it is not enough to speak of those things which in a manner proceed into Act XXVI What the Three intire Parts of Penance are the Pastors shall take care to teach those things severally by which the Reason and Nature of true and saving Penance may be perceiv'd by the Faithful For it is proper to This Sacrament only that besides the Matter and Form which are common to all the Sacraments it has also those Parts as we said before which do as it were make Penance whole and intire to wit Contrition Confession and Satisfaction Of which S. Chrysostom speaks in these words Hom 2. quae est de Poenit. Penance forces the sinner to endure all things willingly for in his Heart there is Contrition in his Mouth is Confession and in his Actions a perfect Humility and fruitful Satisfaction Vide Concil Trid. 14. de Poenit. c. 3. can 4. Item Concil Floren. in doctrin de Sacram. But these Parts are said to be of that kind of Parts XXVII The Quality of the Parts of Penance explain'd which are necessary to make up some Whole Because as the Body of Man consists of many members as Hands Feet Eyes and other such like Parts whereof if any be wanting he deservedly seems to be imperfect but perfect if no Part be wanting After the same manner also Penance is made up of these Three things so that altho as to the Nature thereof Contrition and Confession be sufficient to justifie a Man yet unless the Third Part also which is satisfaction be added it must needs be that something be wanting to make it perfect Wherefore these Parts are so knit together XXVIII The conneâ—ion of the Parts of Penance that Contrition has included in it the Counsel and Purpose of Confessing and Satisfying Contrition and the Will of making Satisfaction goes before Confession But they both go before Satisfaction But of these Three Parts we may give this Reason XXIX Why Penance consists of these three Parts that in Mind in Word and in Deed we commit sin against God Wherefore it was fit that subjecting our selves to the Keys of the Church by those very things wherein the most holy name of God was violated by us we should endeavor also to appease his Anger and to procure of him the Pardon of our sins But the same thing may be confirm'd by another Reason also For Penance is as it were a Compensation or Recompence for Offences proceeding from the Will of him that offended and appointed by the Will of God against whom the sin was committed Wherefore the Will of making recompense is also requir'd about which chiefly Contrition is conversant And it is necessary that the Penitent subject himself to the judgment of the Priest who bâ—ars the Person of God That according to the Greatness of the sin he may appoint him his Punishment From whence both the Reason and the Necessity of Satisfaction is perceiv'd Now because the Faithful must be taught the Vertue and Nature of these Parts XXX Contrition defin'd and explain'd we must begin first with Contrition and diligently explain That for neither at no Instant of Time when we remember our past sins or whensoever we offend ought the Soul to be free from Contrition Now the Fathers of the Council of Trent define it thus Ead. Sess 14. Contrition is the Grief of the Soul and a Detestation of sin committed with a Purpose to sin no more for the time to come And a little after concerning the Motion of Contrition it is subjoyn'd And so at last it prepares us for Remission of sins if it be joyn'd with a Confidence of the Mercy of God and an earnest desire of performing the rest of those things which are requir'd to the due performing of this Sacrament By this Definition therefore the Faithful understand XXXI Wherein the Power and Efficacy of Contrition is plac'd that the Force of Contrition is not plac'd in this only That a Man cease to sin or that he purposes to lead a New Life or has already begun it but he is first of all to hate and to expiate his former ill-spent Life This thing do those bitter cries of the Holy Fathers which we read scatter'd about in Holy Scripture abundantly confirm Ps 6.7 I have labour'd says David in my mourning I will every night wash by Bed And The Lord has heard the voice of my Weeping Ezek. 38.15 And Another I will recount to thee all my years in the Bitterness of my Soul Which without doubt and many other such like expressions some vehement hatred of a fore-past-life and detestation of sin utter'd But whereas Contrition has bin defin'd a Grief XXXII Contrition is a Grief of the Soul not of the Body Hom. â—0 the Faithful are to be warn'd not to suppose that that Grief belongs to the Bodily Senses For Contrition is an Act of the Will And S. Austin testifies That Grief is not Penance but the Companion of Penance But the Fathers signifi'd the Detestation and Hatred of Sin by this word Grief Both because the Sacred Scriptures so use it for David said Psal 12.2 How long shall I put Counsel in my Soul and Grief in my Heart daily And also because from that Contrition arises Grief in the lower part of the Soul which has the Force of desiring So that Contrition was not improperly defin'd in Grief because it causes Grief Note and Penitents to declare that Grief have bin us'd to change their Garments also Of this our Lord spake in S. Matthew Matâ— 11.21 Woe to thee Chorazin Wo to thee Bethsaida because if the mighty works had bin done in Tyre and Sydon which have bin done in you they had done Penance long ago in Sackcloth and Ashes Rightly therefore is this name Contrition giv'n to the Detestation of sin XXXIII How properly this Part of Penance is call'd Contrition of which we speak to signifie the Force of Grief taken from a Similitude drawn from corporeal things which are broken by little and little by a Stone or some harder Matter that by that Name it might be declar'd that our Hearts which by Pride are harden'd by vertue of Penance might be beaten and made soft Wherefore no other Grief Note whether at the Death of Parents or Children or for any other Calamity is call'd by this Name But this Name is proper to that kind of Grief wherewith we are affected at the loss of Gods Grace and Innocence Now the same thing is us'd to be call'd by other Names XXXIV Contrition call'd by other Names for it is call'd Contrition of Heart because the Sacred Scriptures do frequently use the Word Heart for the Will For as from the Heart the Bodily Motion has its beginning so the Will governs and rules all
servile work to be put off to the Lords Day in this Commandment the Lord requires that In Six Days we do our Work Lest any of those things which ought to be done on the other Days of the VVeek should be put off to the Holy Day and so the Mind be call'd off from the care and study of Divine matters In the next place XXX What the third part of the Commandment forbids the third Part of the Commandment is to be explain'd which in a manner shews how we ought to keep Holy the Sabbath Day But especially it explain's what we are forbidden to do on that Day wherefore says the Lord Thou shalt not do any Work therein thou and thy Son and thy Daughter thy Servant and thy Maid thy Cattel and the Stranger that is within thy Gates By which VVords we are taught XXXI Whatever withdraws our mind from the divine Worship is forbidd'n first wholly to avoid whatsoever may hinder the VVorship of God For it may easily be perceived that every kind of servile VVork is forbidden not because it is naturally either base or evil but because it withdraws our mind from the VVorship of God which is the End of this Commandment VVhere Note and I teach this the Faithful are the rather to avoid those Sins which not only call off our Minds from the Study of Divine matters but wholly separate us from the Love of God Vid. Aug. tract 3. in Joan. in Psal 31. Serm. lib. de decem chordis c. 3. Yet those Actions and those VVorks which belong to Divine VVorship XXXII What works are not forbid'n on Holy Days The first sort altho they be servile as to cover or deck the Altar to adorn the Churches for some Festival Days and our like are not forbidd'n and therefore the Lord says The Priests in the Temple violate the Sabbath and yet are without Sin Nor is it to be thought The second sort that the doing of those things which otherwise will be lost if not done on the Holy Day are forbidden by this Commandment even as also it is permitted by the Sacred Canons There are many other things which our Lord in the Gospel has declar'd The third sort may be done on Holy Days which the Curat may easily observe in S. Matthew and S. John But that nothing may be omitted XXXIII Cattel not to be part to labor on Holy Days by the doing whereof the Sanctification of the Sabbath may be hindred here is mention made of Cattel by which sort of living Creatures Men are hindred from keeping the Sabbath For if on the Sabbath Day the use of Cattel be design'd to the doing of any VVork the Labor of Man is also necessary to make them work The Beast therefore can do no work of it self but helps the Man who manages him But on that Day it is not lawful for any to do work therefore not for the Cattel whose Labor Men make use of for their work This Commandment requires also XXXIV Cruel y to Cattel forbidd'n that if God would have Men to spare the Labor of their Cattel they ought surely to be so much the more wary that they be not cruel to them whose Labor and Industry they use Nor ought the Curat to omit XXXV What to be done on Holy Days To be present at Ma s. but diligently to teach in what VVorks and Actions Christians ought to exercise themselves on Holy Days Of which kind are these To come to Gods Church and to be there present at the Holy Sacrifice of Mass with a sincere and devout Attention of Mind Conc. Agath c. 47. Aurel. c. 8. Tribur c. 35. vide de consec dist 1. capite Missas cum ad celebrandas omnes Fideles Often to make use of the Sacraments of the Church To frequent the Sacraments which were instituted for our Salvation and to cure the VVounds of our Souls Aug. de Eccle. dogm c. 53. citatur de cons dist 2. c. quotidie Nor is there any thing which can be either more seasonable or better for Christians To confess Sins than often to confess their Sins to the Priests For doing of which the Curat may exhort the People taking for clearing of this matter a Pattern and Example from those things which have already in their proper place bin deliver'd and taught in the Sacrament of Penance Nor shall he only stir up the People to that Sacrament To receive the Eucharist but he shall diligently again and again exhort them to it that they may frequently receive the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist Moreover To hear Sermons the Sacred Sermons are diligently and attentively to be heard by the Faithful For there is nothing lesâ— to be indur'd nor indeed is there any thing so unworthy as to despise or negligently to hear Christs Word Justin Apol. 2. ex Actis Apost c. 20.7 Aug. lib. 50. Hom. hom 26. citatur 1. q. l. cap. interroga Also the Exercise and Study of the Faithful in Prayers To pray to and praise God and Praises of God ought to be frequent And hereof a chief care should be To be present at Catechising diligently to learn those things which belong to the Institution of a Christian Life And let him exercise himself in those Duties which contain Christian Piety To do works of Mercy by giving Alms to the Poor and Needy by visiting the Sick and piously comforting those that are in Heaviness and Affliction Jac. 1. For as S. James says Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this To visit the fatherless and Widows in their tribulation So the ancient Christians did as do testifie Justin apol 2. Tertul. in apol in lib. ad Martyres in lib. 2. ad Vxorem prope finem From what has bin said XXXVI The fourth part of this Commandment it is easy to gather what things are committed contrary to the Rule of this Commandment And let the Curat reckon it as his Duty to gather Reasons and Arguments strongly to perswade the People with their utmost Study XXXVII How just it is to observe the Festivals Care and Diligence to keep the Law of this Commandment And to this end it will be very useful for the People to understand and perceive plainly how just and agreeable to Reason it is that we should have some certain Days which we may bestow wholly upon Divine Worship and wherein we may acknowledge worship and venerate our Lord from whom we have receiv'd most excellent and innumerable Benefits For if he had commanded us every Day to render him the Worship of Religion Note ought we not to do our utmost endeavour with a ready and cheerful mind for all Benefits towards us which are very great and infinite to hearken to his VVord But now there being but a few Days set apart to his VVorship there is no cause why
the Ark to escape drowning in the Flood This is to be taught as a most certain rule whereby the true Church may be discern'd from the false And we may also know the true Church from its Original XVIII Another Rule yo know the True Church from the False which it has from the Grace reveal'd by the Apostles For her Doctrine is True not New not lately sprung up but long ago deliver'd by the Apostles and dispers'd through all the World and hence it is that none can doubt That the impious Doctrines of Heretics are far different from the Faith of the Church seeing they are against that Doctrine of the Church which has been preach'd from the Apostles to this day And therefore that all may understand which is the true Catholic Church the Fathers by Divine Inspiration have added this word APOSTOLIC Of the marks of the True Church see August contra Epist Fundamenti c. Tertul. lib. toto de Praescript For the Holy Ghost who presides in the Church governs it by no other than Apostolical Men. Which Spirit was first given to the Apostles and afterwards by the infinite goodness of God has always continu'd in the Church But as this One Church cannot err in the delivery of Faith and Discipline of manners XIX Why the Church is call'd Apâ—stolic Aug. contra Crescen lib. 1. c. 33. seeing she is govern'd by the Holy Ghost so it must needs be that all others which falsely claim to themselves that Name and being also led by the Spirit of the Devil are most dangerously out of the way both in Doctrine and Practice But because the Figures of the Old Testament have a great influence to stir up the minds of the Faithful to call to remembrance those excellent things XX. Two figures of the Church for which cause chiefly the Apostles us'd them The Curat may not pass over that part of Docrine also which is so profitable And amongst these The First Gen. 6. Noahs Ark has an excellent signification which for this reason only was made by Gods command that there might be left no room to doubt but that it signifies the Church Which God has so constituted That whosoever by Baptism enters therein may be safe from all danger of eternal Death But they who were out of it as it happen'd to them who were not receiv'd into the Ark were overwhelm'd with their own wickedness Another Figure is that great City Jerusalem The other under the Name whereof many times the Holy Scriptures understand the Holy Church to wit That in her alone it is lawful to offer Sacrifice Because also in the Church of God only and no where else the true Worship and the true Sacrifice which can any ways be pleasing to God may be found And now in the last place XXI The Church to be believ'd by Faith and bow concerning the Church it must be taught After what manner that we are to believe the Church belongs to the Articles of Faith For tho any one perceives by reason and sense That the Church i. e. that Company of Men is in the World which are dedicated and consecrated to Christ our Lord Nor does there seem any need of Faith to conceive this when neither Jews nor Turks do at all doubt of it Yet those Mysteries which as has already been declar'd in part and partly will be said further in he Sacrament of Orders are contain'd in the Holy Church of God that mind which is illuminated by Faith only and not convinc'd by any reasons can understand Seeing therefore that this Article no less than the rest quite surpasses the strength and reach of our understanding We very rightly confess That we come not to know the Church's Original Gifts and Dignity by Huaman Reason but behold them with the Eyes of Faith For neither were Men the Authors thereof XXII Who the Author of hte Church Ps 89.5 but the very Immortal God who has built it upon a most firm Rock as the Prohet witnesses The most High has sounded it For which reason it is call'd Gods Inheritance and the people of God And the Power it has is not of Man but given her by the gift of God Wherefore as by the mere Power of Nature we cannot attain to her so also by Faith only we understand That in the Church are the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and that to her is given Power to Forgive Sins to Excommunicate and to consecrate the true Body of Christ and then that the Citizens which belong to her Heb. 13.14 have not here a lasting City but seek one to come It is necessary therefore to believe XXIII We must believe the Church but not in the Church Aug Ser 1.31 de Temp. That there is One Holy and Catholic Church For so we believe the Three Persons of the Trinity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost as to place our Faith In them But now changeing the manner of speaking we profess to believe the Holy not In the Holy Church That by this different way of speaking God who is the Author of all things may be distinguish'd from the things which were created and to acknowledg that all those excellent benefits which are bestow'd on the Church were receiv'd of the Divine Goodness The Communion of Saints When S. John the Evangelist wrote to the Faithful XXIV This part of the Article to be diligently explain'd 1 Joh. 1.13 of the Divine Mysteries why he taught them therein he gives this Reason That you also says he might have Fellowship with us and our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ This Fellowship is plac'd in the Communion of Saints of which we are to speak in This Article And would to God in explaining hereof Aug. in Joan Trâ—act 32. the Teachers of the Church would imitate the diligence of Paul and the other Apostles For it is not only a kind of Interpretation of the former Article and a Doctrine full of profit and advantage but it also shews what the Use of those Mysteries is which are contain'd in the Creed For we are to search into and learn all those things for this end that we may be admitted into this so blessed and glorious a Fellowship of the Saints and being once admitted consequently to persevere Coloss 1.12 giving Thanks with Joy to God the Father who has made us worthy to partake of the Lot of the Saints in Light Firft therefore XXV Wherein is plac'd the Communion of Saints the Faithful are to be taught That This Article is as it were a kind of Explication of that which goes before concerning One Holy Catholic Church For the Unity of that Spirit by which she is govern'd causes that whatsoever the Church has is Common For the Fruit and Benefit of all the Sacraments belongs to all the Faithful by which Sacraments as by Sacred Bands they are coupl'd and joyn'd with Christ
and above all by Baptism by which as by the Door Aug. lib. 9. contr Faust. c. 11. we enter into the Church Now that by this Communion of Saints we ought to understand the Communion of Sacraments the Fathers signifie in this Creed by these words Damasc lib. 4. de Fide Orthodox c. 12. I confess one Baptism But after Baptism first follows the Eucharist and then the other Saraments For tho this name be suitable to all the other Sacraments since they joyn us to God and make us partakers of him whose Grace we receive yet it is more proper to the Eucharist which makes this Communion But there is another Communion in the Church to be consider'd For whatsoever things are piously and holily perfom'd by One these things belong to All and by Charity which seeks not her own they are made profitable to them This is well prov'd by the Testimony of S. Ambrose S. Ambros in Ps 118. Serm. 1 v. 69 who explaining that place of the Psalm I am a Partner of all them that seek thee says thus As we say that the Member is a Partaker of the whole Body so is he that is a Partner with them that fear God Wherefore Christ has taught us this Form of Prayer Matt. 6. to say Our Bread not mine and the rest after the same manner not taking care for our selves only but for the salvation and profit of all But now this Communication of good things is XXVI A singular Similitude in Holy Scripture often represented by a fit Similitude taken from the Members of the Body of Man for in the Body there are many Members But tho they are Many yet they make but One Body in which all the Members discharge each their own proper Office and not all the same Office 〈◊〉 12.15 Nor have they all the same Dignity to execute alike the useful and comely functions nor do they seek each its own profit but the commodity and conveniency of the whole Body And then they are all so fitly knit together among themselves that if one be griev'd the rest also by Consent and Nearness of Nature do grieve and on the contrary if one be well dispos'd all the rest rejoyce with it The same thing we may contemplate in the Church in which tho there be divers Members to wit various Nations of Jews and Gentiles Bond and Free Poor and Rich yet when by Baptism they are initiated they are made one Body with Christ whereof he is the Head Moreover in this Church is assign'd to every one his own Office Note for as there were plac'd in it some Apostles some Teachers but all for the public benefit so it is the Office of some to Rule and to Teach and of others to Obey and to be Subject But then they only reap the Benefit of those so many and so great Functions Note and good things thus appointed by God who lead a Christian Life in Charity and are just and dear to God But the dead Members XXVII What benefit of the Communion of Saints they are depriv'd of who are in mortal sin Aug. in Ps 70. Serm. 2. to wit those who are as it were bound in wickedness and estrang'd from the Grace of God are not depriv'd of this Good so as to cease to be Members of this Body but being dead they perceive not that spiritual Fruit and Advantage which just and pious Men have and yet seeing that they are in the Church they are assisted towards the recovery of that Grace and Life which they had lost by those who live spiritually and receive those benefits which there can be no doubt that they are void of who are altogether cut off from the Church Nor are those Gifts common only which render men just and dear to God XXVIII Grace fro Grace are common Gifts but there is also given Grace for Grace among which is reckon'd Knowledg Prophecy and the Gift of Tongues and Miracles and the rest of that sort which Gifts are also granted to the Wicked not for Private but Publick Advantage to the Edification of the Church For the Gift of Healing is given not for his sake who has the Gift but for the Sick Mans sake who is to be healed And indeed a Christian has nothing in possession which he ought not to reckon as common to himself and all others And therefore they ought to be ready and prepar'd to relieve the Miseries of the Needy for he that has such kind of Goods and sees his Brother in want 1 Joh. 3.17 and will not help him he is plainly convin'd to have none of the Love of God in him Which things seeing they are so it is manifest enough that those who are in this Holy Communion enjoy a kind of Happiness and can truly say Ps 83. Ps 33. O how lovely are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts my Soul longs and even faints for the Courts of the Lord and Blessed are they which dwell in thy House O Lord ARTICLE X. The Forgiveness of Sins There is no One I. The Belief of this Article necessary to Salvation who when he sees this Article Of the Forgiveness of Sins number'd among the other Articles of Faith can doubt not only that there is some Divine Mystery but also that there is something very necessary to the attaining Salvation contain'd in it For as was said before Without a certain belief of those things which in the Creed are propos'd to be believ'd there can be no entrance to any Body to Christian Piety But if that which of it self ought to be known of all Men seems fit to be confirm'd by some Testimony that surely will be sufficient which our Savior a little before his Ascension into Heaven witness'd concerning this matter when he open'd the Understanding of his Disciples that they might understand the Scriptures Luc. 24.46 It behov'd says he Christ to suffer and to rise again the third day from the dead and that in his name Penance and Remission of sins should be preach'd to all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Which words if the Curats consider II. The Curats Duty in explaining this Article they will easily perceive That there lies upon them a great Necessity and Charge from the Lord of diligently explaining this Article especially when the other things which belong to Religion are to be taught It is the Curats Duty therefore as to this Point to teach not only that Forgiveness of Sins may be had in the Catholic Church of which Esayah prophesi'd Isa 33.24 Aug. Hom. 49. c. 3. Iniquity shall be taken away from the people which dwell in her but also that in her there is a power of Forgiving Sins Which if the Priests use aright Let the confessors observe this and according to the Laws prescrib'd by Christ our Lord it must be believ'd That Sins are truly forgiven and pardon'd But this Pardon III. In Baptism there is
our Wickedness by the Blood of his only begotten Son so that he freely endur'd the Punishment which for our sins we had deserv'd and the Just was condemn'd for the Unjust the Innocent was put to a most bitter death for the Guilty Wherefore when we seriously consider with our selves 1 Pet. 1.18 19. That we were not redeem'd with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without spot or blemish we shall easily conclude that nothing could possibly come to us more advantagious than this power of forgiving sins which shews the unutterable of Providence of God and his exceeding Love towards us And from this consideration it must needs be X. Mortal Sin how great an Evil. that a mighty advantage redound to us For he that offends God by any mortal Sin whatsoever Merits he before had by the Death of Christ and his Cross he straightway loses all and the Gate of Paradice which before being shut our Savior by his Passion has open'd to all he has shut again against himself Which when we remember we cannot chuse but that the consideration of Mans Misery will extreamly grieve us But if we bend our mind to this admirable Power which God has given to his Church and being confirm'd in the Faith of this Article believe that this Power is offer'd to every one so that being assisted by Gods help he may be restor'd to his former state of dignity then are we forc'd with the highest joy and gladness to exult and give immortal Thanks to God And truly if those Medicines are us'd to seem welcome and pleasant which the skilful and careful Physitian prepares for us when we are sick how much more pleasant ought those remedies to be which the Wisdom of God has appointed for the cure of our Souls and consequently for the recovery of Life and especially when they carry with them not a weak doubtful Hope of Health as those Medicines do which are apply'd to the Body but when they bring most certain Health to those who desire to be heal'd The Faithful therefore are to be admonish'd XI The Benefit of Remission of Sin diligently to be us'd after they have known the dignity of so ample and so excellent a Gift that they study religiously to convert it to their own advantage For it can hardly be that he who makes no use of a thing that is profitable and necessary can be suppos'd not to despise it and specially seeing the Lord has deliver'd to his Church this Power of forgiving sins to this end that all might use this wholsome remedy For as no one without Baptism can be expiated or cleans'd so whosoever is minded to recover the Grace of Baptism which he lost by mortal sin must necessarily betake himself to that other kind of expiation to wit the Sacrament of Penance But here the Faithful are to be warn'd XII The Easiness of obtaining Pardon not to be abus'd Aug. in Joan. Tract 33. lib. 50. Hom. 41. Amb. lib. 2. de poenit c. 1.2 11. that hearing of so large a Power of Pardon and that it is not to be limited to any term of Time not to take encouragement either to sin the more readily or to repent the more slowly For since by the one they are manifestly discover'd to be injurious to and to affront this Divine Power they are unworthy that God should bestow any Mercy upon them and by the other it is much to be fear'd lest being overtaken by Death in vain they confess the Forgiveness of Sins which by their sloth and putting off they have deservedly lost ARTICLE XI THe Resurrection of the Body That this Article has a great influence to establish the truth of our Faith I. How necessary the Belief of this Article This does abundantly evidence that it is propos'd to the Belief of the Faithful not only by the Holy Scriptures but is confirm'd by many reasons also Which since we see it not done in the other Articles of the Creed we may perceive that the Hope of our Salvation is grounded herein as on a most foundation as the Apostle argues 1 Cor. 15.14 If there be no Resurrection of the dead then is not Christ risen again but if Chrst be not risen again then is Our Preaching vain and your Faith is vain In explaining hereof therfore the Curat shall take no less pains and care than the wickedness of many has labour'd to overthrow it For that great and excellent advantages redound to the use of the Faithful by the knowledge hereof will by and by be shew'd But first of all this is to be noted II. Why the Resurrection of Men call'd the Resurrection of the Flesh That in this Article the Resurrection of Men is call'd the Resurrection of the Flesh. And this is not done without good reason For the Apostles would teach what is necessarily to be suppos'd That the Soul is immortal Wherefore lest any one might think that the Soul dy's together with the Body and that Both were to be restor'd to life again seeing that by many places of Holy Scripture it is plainly manifest that the Soul is immortal for this reason in this Article there is mention made of the Resurrection of the Flesh only And tho frequently in Holy Scripture the word Flesh signifies the whole man as in Esaias Isay 40.8 All Flesh is grass and in S. John The word was made Flesh Yet in this place the word Flesh signifies the Body that we may understand that of the Two Parts Soul and Body of which Man is made the One only to wit the Body is corrupted and returns into the Dust of the Earth out of which it was made that the Sout remains uncorrupt But then whereas none can be restor'd to Life III. The Soul not said to rise again 2 Tim. 2.14 unless he had been first dead the Soul is not properly said to rise again And there is mention made of the Flesh to confute that Heresie which during the Apostles life was Hymenaeus and Philetus's who taught that when in Holy Scripture mention was made of the Resurrection it was not to be understood of a Resurrection of the Body but of the soul whereby we rise from the death of sin to an innocent life From these words therefore it is plain that this error is taken away and the true Resurrection of the Body is confirm'd But it is the Curates Part to illustrate and clear this Truth by Examples taken out of the Old and New Testaments IV. How the Resurrection of the Flesh is to be prov'd and out of all other Church Histories For some were restor'd to life by Elilijah and Elisha in the Old Testament others besides those which Christ our Lord rais'd from death by the Holy Apostles and many others 3 Reg. 17.19 4 Reg. 4.34 which Resurrection of many confirms the Doctrine of this Article
there remain in us the infirmity of the Body The Second Reason Diseases sense of Grief and the motions of Concupiscence is This to wit that we may account them as the Husbandry and Matter whereupon our vertues are to exercise themselves whence we may get a more plentiful Harvest and larger Rewards For when with a patient mind we endure all the inconveniences of this life and by the Divine Assistance bring all the evil affections of our Hearts under the government of Reason we ought assuredly to hope that the time will come 1 Tim. 4.7 when if with the Apostle We have fought the good fight and finish'd the course and kept the faith the Lord the righteous judge in that day will give us also the crown of righteousness which is laid up for us And thus the Lord seem'd to do also with the children of Israel whom tho be deliver'd from the bondage of the Egyptians and drown'd Pharaoh A Figure and his armies in the Sea yet he did not immediately bring them into that blessed Land of Promise â— but first exercis'd them with many and various fortunes and then when he put them into the possession of the Promis'd Land he put the other Inhabitants out of the possessions of their Fathers and some other Nations which they could not destroy were left remaining that God's people might never want occasion of exercising their Warlike Vertue and Courage To these may added The Third Reason that if through Baptism besidse those heavenly gifts wherewith the Soul is adorn'd there were given Bodily endowments also it might well be suspected that many would come to Baptism seeking rather the advantages of This Life than the Glory which is to be hop'd for in the Future Whenas yet what is seen is not false and uncertain 2 Cor. 4. but those good things which a Christian ought always to propose to himself and which are not seen are true and eternal But yet in the mean time the condition of this Life which is full of Miseries XLIX Christians are not without comfort when they suffer wants not its pleasures and joys For what can be more pleasant or desirable to us who now by Baptism are grafted into Christ as branches than to follow him our Captain with the Cross on our Shoulders and not to be tir'd by any labours nor hinder'd by any dangers so as not to press forward with all diligence to the reward of the high calling of God Some to receive of the Lord the Laurel of Virginity others the Crown of Teaching and Preaching others the Palm of Martyrdom and others the other Ornaments of their Vertues Which excellent Badges of Renown and Tokens of Honor would not be given to any unless first we exercis'd our selves in the Stage of this troublesom Life and stoutly kept our ground in the Battel But to return to the Effects of Baptism I. The Third Effect of Baptism Infusion of Grace It must be explain'd that by vertue of this Sacrament we are not only deliver'd from those evils which are truly said to be the greatest of all but also We are enrich'd with the best and most excellent endowments For our Souls are fill'd with Divine Grace whereby being made just and the children of God Mar. 16.17 Eph. 5.26 Sess 6. c. 7. de justifie we are train'd up to be heirs of eternal Salvation also For as it is written he that believes and is Baptiz'd shall be sav'd and the Apostle testifies The Church is cleans'd by the Laver of Water in the Word But Grace as the Council of Trent has decreed to be believ'd of all under pain of an Anathema is not only that by which we have Remission of Sins but it is a Divine Quality inherent in tho Soul and as it were a kind of Splendor and Light which wipes away all the Stains and Spots of our Souls and makes our Souls more beautiful and glorious and this is plainly gather'd from Holy Scripture when it says that Grace is pour'd out and it is us'd to call that Grace the Pledge of the Holy Ghost And to This is added a most noble Train of all Vertues LI. The fourth Effect of Baptism Infusion of Vertues Tit. 3. D. Aug. 23. which together with Grace is pour'd of God into the Soul Wherefore when the Apostle to Timothy says He has sav'd us by the Laver of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost which he has pour'd abundantly upon us through Jesus Christ our Saviour S. Austin expounds those words Abundantly pour'd to wit says he For the Remission of Sins and for an abundance of Vertues Of this Effect of Baptism see Chrysost hom ad Neoph. Baptiz Damasc lib. 2. de fide Orthod cap. 36. Lactant. lib. 3. Divin Instit c. 25. Aug. Epist 23. ad Bonifac. item l. 1. de peccat meritis remiss cap. 29. Prosp l. 1. de vocation gent. cap. 9. And then by Baptism we are joyn'd and knit to Christ as Members to the Head As therefore from the Head flows Vertue and Spirit LII The fifth Effect Connexion to Christ our Head whereby all the several parts of the Body are fitly mov'd to perform their proper functions so also of the Fulness of Christ our Lord is shed upon all those who are justifi'd Divine Grace and Vertue which renders us fit and ready for all Offices of Christian Piety That by Baptism we are knit to Christ as Members to the Head See Aug. Ep. 23. item l. 1. de peccat meritis remiss c. 16. Prosp de vocat Gent. lib. 1. c. 9. Bernard Serm. 1. in Coena Dom. D. Thom. 3. p. 7.69 art 5. Nor ought it to seem strange to any LIII Whence the Difficulty of doing well even in those that are Baptiz'd if tho thus we are furnish'd and adorn'd with plenty of vertues yet we find a great deal of difficulty and pains in the very beginning or at least before the compleating of pious and honest actions For it so happens for this reason not as though those vertues from which those pious actions spring are not given us of the Divine Bounty but because after Baptism there remains a sharp strugling of the carnal Desire against the Spirit in which contest notwithstanding it would ill become a Christian either to faint or grow cowardly Phil. 4.8 Since being encourag'd with the goodness of God we ought to strengthen our selves with an assur'd Hope that time will be when by daily use and exercise of living well 2 Cor. 3.11 Whatsoever things are comely whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are holy all these will seem easie and pleasant These things let us willingly consider these things let us chearfully perform that the God of Peace may be with us Besides LIV. The sixth Effect of Baptism A Character by Baptism we are sign'd with a Character which can never be blotted out of our Soul of which there is
the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.7 when he says Purge out the old Leven that ye may be a new lump as ye are unleven'd For Christ our Passover is sacrificed therefore let us banquet not with the old Leven nor with the Leven of malice and wickedness but with the unleven'd Bread of Sincerity and Truth Not that this Quality is to be thought so necessary XV. The Eucharist may be made of Leven'd Bread that if the Bread have it not the Sacrament cannot be made For either kind of Bread has the true and proper nature and name of Bread Altho no one ought by his own private authority or rashness rather alter the laudable Rite of his Church And by so much the less is it permitted to the Latin Priests to do it Conc. Floren. Sess ult lib. 3 decret de cel b Miss c. final whom the Popes have moreover commanded to perform the Sacred Mysteries with unleven'd Bread only And let this suffice for the explication of One part of the Matter of this Sacrament Where notwithstanding it is to be noted that it is not determin'd how much Matter ought to be us'd in making this Sacrament since the certain number of them who either may or ought to receive the Sacred Mysteries cannot be defin'd It remains now that we speak of the other Part of the Matter and Element of this Sacrament XVI Wine of the Grape the other Matter of the Eucharist And that is Wine press'd out of the fruit of the Vine wherewith a little Water is mixt For that our Lord and Savior us'd Wine in the Institution of this Sacrament the Catholic Church has ever taught seeing he himself said Mat 26.29 Mar. 14.25 I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the Vine until that day In which place S. Chrysostom Hom. 83. in Mat. Of the fruit of the Vine says he which surely brought forth Wine not Water that so long before-hand he might be seen to pluck up by the roots the Heresy of them who thought that Water only was to be us'd in these Mysteries Yet the Church of God always mingl'd Water with the Wine XVII Water to be mingl'd with Wine Cypr. lib. 2. Epist. 3. Trid. Sess 22. de Saâ—ris Miss c. 7. Can. 9. Apoc. 17.15 First because our Lord Christ himself did so as is prov'd by the authority of Councils and by the testimony of S. Cyprian And then that the memory of the Blood and Water which came out of his Side might be renew'd And then as we read in the Apocalyps Water signifies the People Wherefore Water mingl'd with Wine signifies the Conjunction of the Faithful with Christ their Head And this by Apostolical Tradition Holy Church has always observ'd But altho the Reasons for mingling the Water with the Wine are so weighty Note that it may not be neglected under mortal sin yet tho it should be wanting the Sacrament remains But the Priests ought to take care XVIII A little Water to be mingl'd that as in the Sacred Mysteries they ought to mingle Water with the Wine so also that they pour but a little thereinto For by the Opinion and Judgment of Ecclesiastical Writers That Water is turn'd into Wine Wherefore Pope Honorius writes thus concerning it There has bin for a long time in your parts a pernicious abuse to wit that there is us'd a greater quantity of Water in the Sacrifice Habetur lib. 3. Decretal dâ— celeb Miss c. 13. than of Wine when according to the reasonable practice of the general Church there ought to be us'd a far greater quantity of Wine than of Water Of this Sacrament therefore there are only these Two Elements Note and it has bin rightly setl'd by many Decrees Et vide de consec dist 2. c. 1 2. seq That none may offer any thing but Bread and Wine notwithstanding which there were some presum'd to do so But now we must see how sit these two Symbols of Bread and Wine are XIX How convenient this Matter of the Eucharist is First John 9. to declare those things whereof we believe and confess them to be Sacraments And first they signifie Christ to us as he is the true life of Men. For the Lord himself says My Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed Seeing therefore the Body of Christ our Lord yields nourishment of eternal Life to them who do purely and holily receive the Sacrament thereof rightly is it made of those things wherein this Life is contain'd that the Faithful may easily understand that by the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ their mind and Soul is fed These Elements also are somewhat available to this end Secondly Damasc lib. 4. de fide Orthod c. 14. that Men may learn and know that the Truth of Christ's Body and Blood are in the Sacrament for when we observe that Bread and Wine is dayly chang'd into human Flesh and Blood by the strength of Nature We may the more easily be led by this similitude to believe that the Substance of Bread and Wine by the Heavenly Benediction is converted into the true Flesh and true Blood of Christ Thirdly This admirable Change of the Elements helps also to shadow what is done in the Soul For as tho there appears outwardly no change of the Bread and Wine yet their substance truly passes into the Flesh and Blood of Christ so also tho nothing seems to be chang'd in us yet inwardly we are renew'd to life while we receive the true life in the Sacrament of the Eucharist Add hereto Fourthly that since the Body of the Church is compos'd of many Members this conjunction is not by any thing more clear'd than by the Elements of Bread and Wine For Bread is made of many Grains and Wine is press'd out of a Multitude of Grapes And so we tho we are Many yet they shew us to be strictly held together by the bond of this Divine Mystery and as it were made One Body Now it follows that we treat of the Form which ought to be us'd at the consecrating the Bread XX. The Form of the Eucharist as to the Bread defin'd and prov'd Not that the faithful people need to be much taught these Mysteries unless there be necessity for it is not necessary to instruct those persons in these matters who are not initiated in Sacred Things But lest by ignorance of the Form the Priests in making this Sacrament may make any foul mistakes We are taught therefore by the Holy Evangelists Matthew and Luke By Scripture Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14.22 Luc. 26.19 1 Cor. 14.22 and by the Apostle that This is the Form This is my Body for it is written when they had supp'd Jesus took Bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to his Disciples and said Take and eat This is my Body Which Form of consecration seeing it was observ'd of
Christ our Lord the same has bin always us'd in the Catholic Church We might here forbear the Testimonies of the Holy Fathers By Fathers and Councils which to reckon up would be endless and the Decree of the Council of Florence which is open and ready for all to see especially since by those words of our Savior Do this in commemoration of me we plainly see the same thing In Decret de Sacram. Item Trid. Sess 13. cap. 1. For what the Lord commanded to be done Note ought to be referr'd not only to what he did but also to what he said And we must know that indeed it chiefly belongs to the Words which were utter'd no less for the sake of Effecting than for the sake of Signifying As to the Fathers see Amb. lib. 4. de Sacram. c. 4. 5. Chrys hom de Prodit Judae Aug lib. 3. de Trinit c. 4. Iren. lib. 4. cont Haer. c. 34. Orig. lib. 8. cont Celsum Hesich lib. 6. in Levit. c. 22. Cyril Alex. Epist. ad Calosorum Episcop Tertul. lib. 4. contr Marc. in Hier. Epist. 1. But this may easily be perswaded by Reason By Reason For the Form is that whereby is signifi'd that thing which is wrought in this Sacrament Now when these words signifie and declare that thing which is done i. e. the conversion of the Bread into the true Body of our Lord it follows that the Form is to be put in those very Words in which meaning we may take that which is written by the Evangelist He Blessed Mat. 26. For he seems to mean as if he had said Taking Bread he Blessed it saying This is my Body For tho the Evangelist plac'd these words Take and Eat before Note yet it is plain that thereby is signifi'd not the Consecration of the Matter but the Vse only Wherefore they ought indeed by all means to be pronounc'd by the Priest but to the making the Sacrament they are not necessary As also that Conjunction For is pronounc'd in the Consecration of the Body and Blood Note for otherwise it would come to pass that if this Sacrament were to be administer'd to no body it ought not or cannot be done Whereas there can be no doubt but the Priest pronouncing the words of our Lord after the manner and appointment of Holy Church doth truly consecrate the proper matter of Bread altho it may then chance that the Holy Eucharist be not administer'd to any body at all And now as to the Consecration of the Wine XXI The Form of the Eucharist as to the Winâ— defin'd and prov'd Decretal lib. 3. de celeb Miss c. 6. which is the other Matter of this Sacrament for the same reason before mention'd there is need that the Priest rightly know and understand the Form That therefore we must certainly believe is comprehended in these words This is the Chalice of my Blood of the New and Eternal Testament the Mystery of Faith which shall be shed for you and for many for the remission of sins â— Of which words there are many gather'd from Sacred Scripture By Scripture Luc. 22.20 1 Cor. 11.25 Mat. 26.28 But some have bin preserv'd in the Church by Apostolical Tradition For that which is said This is the Chalice is written by S. Luke and by the Apostle But that which follows Of my Blood or my Blood of the New Testament which shall be shed for you and for many for the Remission of sins was partly said by S. Luke and partly by S. Matthew But those words Of the Eternal and Mystery of Faith Holy Tradition By Tradition the interpreter and keeper of Catholic Unity has taught us But of this Form no one can doubt And Reason if he mind in this place also what was said before of the Form of Consecration which is us'd over the Element of Bread For it is manifest that by these words which signifie the substance of the Wine to be converted into the Blood of our Lord the Form of this Element is chang'd Wherefore since those words plainly declare this thing it is plain that there is no other Form to be made But they express besides XXII Three Effects of Christ's Blood certain admirable Fruits of Christ's blood shed in his Passion which specially belong to this Sacrament One is an Entrance to the Eternal Inheritance which comes to us by right of the New and Eternal Testament Another is an Entrance to Righteousness by the Mystery of Faith For God has offer'd Jesus through Faith in his Blood to be our Reconciler that he might be just and the justifier of him who is of the Faith of Jesus Christ The Third is the Forgiveness of Sins But because these very words of Consecration are full of Mysteries XXIII The words of the Consecration of the Wine explain'd Decretal lib. 3. de celeb Miss c. 6. and are very suitable to the matter we must consider them more carefully Now that it is said This is the Chalice of my Blood it must be thus understood This is my Blood which is contain'd in the Chalice Rightly therefore and very fitly here whilst the Blood as it is the Drink of the Faithful is consecrated there is mention to be made of the Chalice or Cup For neither would Blood seem to signifie sufficiently this kind of drink unless it were in some Vessels It then follows Of the New Testament which for this reason is added that we may understand that the Blood of Christ our Lord is not now given to Men in a Figure as it was done in the Old Testament for we read in the Epistle to the Hebrews Without Blood a Testament is not dedicated Heb. 9.16 but really and truly which properly belongs to the New Testament Wherefore the Apostle says Therefore Christ is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death those who are call'd might receive the promise of eternal inheritance But the Word Eternal is to be referr'd to the eternal inheritance which of right comes to us by the death of Christ our Lord the eternal Testator That whit follows The Mystery of Faith excludes not the Truth of the thing but that which lies close hid and farthest off from the sight signifies that it is to be believ'd with a steady Faith But these words in this place have another meaning than they have when they are attributed to Baptism sor it is call'd the mystery of Faith because by Faith we perceive Christ's Blood hid under the Species of Wine But we properly call Baptism the Sacrament of Faith as the Greeks call it the Mystery of Faith because it contains the whole profession of Christian Faith Altho for another reason also we call the Blood of our Lord the Mysterie of Faith to wit because therein especially human reason finds much difficulty and labor when Faith offers to us to believe that the Son of God both God and Man suffer'd Death for us which
every year communicate at Easter shall be driven away from the Church Concil Lateran c. 28. habetur l. 5. decretal tit de Poenis remiss c. Omnis utriusque sexus Trid. Sess 13.9 Neither let the Faithful think that this is enough LXIII The Faithful to be exhorted to the frequent use of the Eucharist that obeying the authority of this Decree they only once a year receive the Lords Body but let them know that they ought oftner to receive the Communion of the Eucharist But whether it be more expedient so to do every Month or every Week or every Day Aug. there can be no certain Rule prescrib'd for all But yet this is S. Austins most sure Rule So live that thou mayst receive every Day Wherefore the Curats shall be ready to exhort the Faithful diligently that as they think it necessary to afford nourishment to their Bodies every Day so also that they cast not off the care of feeding and nourishing their Soul every day with the Sacrament for it is plain that the Soul no less wants her Spiritual Meat than the Body her natural Food And it will be extreamly profitable in this place to repeat those exceeding great and divine Benefits which as was before shew'd we obtain by Sacramental Communion of the Eucharist And this figure also shall be added that every day the Israelites ought to refresh the strength of their Bodies with Manna Exod. 16. And also the authorities of the Holy Fathers which greatly commended the frequent receiving of this Sacrament Neither was it the Opinion of that one only Holy Father S. Austin Thou daily sinnest daily receive but whosoever diligently observes will easily find that the same was the sense of all the Fathers that have written of this matter To frequent Communion do exhort Aug. de verb. Dom. serm 28. sed hic serm cum non sit Aug. sed Ambr. l. 5. de Sacram. c. 4. rejectus est in apendicem tomi 10. Item vide eund Aug. Epist 118. c. 3. Item Ignat. ad Ephes satis ante fin Basil Epist ad Caesar patr Ambr. lib. 3. de Sacram. c. 4. Chrys hom 61. ad pop Antioch Cypr. de Orat. Domin ad haec verba Panem nostrum quotid Hieron Epist 28. ad Lucin. vers finem Cyril lib. 3. in Joan. c. 34. de consec dist 2. per multa capita hac de re And in former daies there was a time when the Faithful daily receiv'd the Eucharist LXIV Antiently the Faithful communicated every day Act. 2.42 as we understand from the Acts of the Apostles For all who then profess'd the Christian Faith did so burn with true Christian Charity that when without intermission they were at leisure for Prayers and other duties of Piety or Devotion they were always found ready prepar'd daily to receive the Sacred Mysteries of the Lords Body The most holy Martyr and Pope Anacletus in some measure renew'd this De consec dist â— c. 1â— For he commanded That the Ministers who perform'd Masse should communicate Which thing he affirm'd to have bin ordain'd by the Apostles And it was a long while a Custom in the Church that the Priest as soon as the Sacrifice was ended when he took the Eucharist turning to the people that were present invited the Faithful to the Sacred Table in these words Come Brethren to the Communion Then those that were prepar'd took the Sacred Mysteries with the most profound Devotion Of daily Communion See Dionys de Eccles Hierar c. 3. parte 2. Hieron Epist 28. ad Lucin. Greg. l. 2. dialog c. 23. Item lib. de Ecclesiast dogmat c. 53. citatur de de consec dist 1. c. 23. But when Charity and Devotion grew so cold LXV Thrice a year antiently appointed to communicate that the Faithful very rarely came to the Communion is was decreed by Pope Fabian That all should receive the Eucharist thrice every year at the Nativity of our Lord at Easter and at Whitsuntide and the same thing was afterwards confirm'd by many Councils and especially by the First Council of Agath Fabiani decretum habes de Concer dist 2. c. 16. ibid. citatur Concil Agathem sec 18. c. Saeculares But when the matter grew to that pass LXVI When commanded to communicate once a year that that holy and wholesome precept was not observ'd but the Communion of the Eucharist was put off for many years together it was decreed in the Council of Lateran That all the Faithful should once a year at least receive the Sacred Body of the Lord But those who neglected to do so were forbid to enter into the Church Citatur lib. 5. decret tit de Poenit. remiss bap Omnis utriusque sexus Now altho this Law LXVII Before the use of Reason none may communicate establish'd by the Authority of God and his Church belong to all the Faithful Yet it must be taught that they are excepted who by reason of the tenderness of Age have not yet the use of Reason for these know not how to make a difference betwixt the Sacred Eucharist and Prophane and common Bread Nor can they bring that devotion of Heart and Religion to the receiving thereof as is fit and it also seems very disagreeable to the Institution of Christ our Lord Mat. 26.26 for he says Take and Eat LXVIII The Eucharist antiently given to Infants but it is manifest enough that Infants are not capable to take and eat In some places it was indeed an antient custom to give the Sacred Eucharist even to Infants but yet both for the reasons before mention'd and for Others also very agreeable to Christian Piety the same has long-a-go Note by the Churches Authority bin forborn Cypr. de Lapsis post med But at what age the Sacred Mysteries are to be given to Children no one can better determine than the Father and Priest to whom they confess their sins for it belongs to Them to try and examine the Children whether they have learn'd the knowledg of this admirable Sacrament and have any rellish to it Moreover to Mad-men LXIX When the Eucharist ought not to be given to Mad people Con. Carth. 4.76 who then are far from the sense of Devotion the Sacraments ought not to be given Altho if before they fell into madness they evidenc'd a pious and religious disposition of mind the Eucharist may be administer'd to them at the end of their Life as was decreed by the Council of Carthage so that there be no danger to be fear'd of Vomitting or other Indignity and Inconvenience But now as to the Rite or manner of Communicating LXX The Priests only may communicate under â—oâ—h Species the Curats may teach That by the Law of the Church it is prohibited that any one without the Authority of the Church except the Priests who consecrate the Lords Body in the Sacrifice should take the Sacred Eucharist in both kinds
was instituted of Christ our Lord for Two causes The One is that it might be the heavenly Food of our Souls wherewith we might preserve and sustain our spiritual Life The Other that the Church might have a perpetual Sacrifice whereby our sins might be expiated and our heavenly Father who has often times bin grievously offended by our wickedness might be turn'd from his Anger to his Mercy and from the severity of his just Revenge to Pity We may observe the Figure and Resemblance of this thing in the Paschal Lamb which was us'd to be offer'd as a Sacrifice and eaten as a Sacrament by the Children of Israel Vide Trid. de Sacrif Missae c. 1.3 Dionys l. 17. de Eccl. c. 3. Ignat. Epist ad Smyrn Tert. lib. de Orat. Iren. l. 4. c. 32. Aug. lib. 10. de Civit. Dei c. 10. Et lib. 17. c. 20. lib. 18. c. 35. lib. 19. c. 23. lib. 22. c. 8. alibi passim Nor indeed when our Savior was about to offer himself to God the Father upon the Altar of the Cross LXXVII How great the Benefit of the Eucharist is could he give any more illustrious signification of his immense Love towards us than when he left us a visible Sacrifice whereby might be restor'd that which was a little after to be sacrific'd once in Blood on the Cross and the memory thereof might every Day be honor'd by the Church spread abroad over all the World to her exceeding advantage even to the end of the World Now these Two ways are very different in themselves LXXVIII The Difference between a Sacrifice and a Sacrament for a Sacrament is perform'd or perfected in the Consecration but the force or vertue of a Sacrifice consists in this that it be Offer'd Wherefore the Sacred Eucharist while it is kept in the Pyx or carry'd to the Sick has not the Nature of a Sacrifice but of a Sacrament and besides as it is a Sacrament it gives them that receive the Divine Hoste or Sacrifice cause of Merit and all those other advantages which were before remembred but as it is a Sacrifice it has not only the Efficacy of Meriting but of Performing also For as Christ our Lord in his Passion merited and satisfi'd for us so they that offer this Sacrifice wherein they communicate with us do satisfie and merit the fruits of our Lord's Passion Now concerntng the Institution of this Sacrifice LXXIX By Whom and when the Sacrifice of Mass was instituted the Holy Synod of Trent has left no more room to doubt for she has declar'd that it was instituted by Christ our Lord at his last Supper and has condemn'd those with an Anathema that assert that a true and proper Sacrifice is not offer'd to God or that to Offer is nothing else than that Christ is given to be eaten Sess 22. de Sacrificio Missae c. 1. can 1. 2. Nor did she omit LXXX Sacrifice to be offer'd to God only and not to the Saints but diligently explain'd that Sacrifice is done to God only for altho' sometimes the Church uses to celebrate Masses in Memory and Honor of the Saints yet she never taught to offer Sacrifice to them but to One God only who has crown'd them with immortal Glory Wherefore neither is the Priest wont at any time to say I offer Sacrifice to Thee Peter or Paul but while the sacrifices to God only she gives thanks to him for the signal Victory of the blessed Martyrs and so implores their Patronage that they would vouchsafe to intercede for us in Heaven whose Memory we celebrate on Earth Now these things which have bin deliver'd by the Catholic Church concerning the Truth of this Sacrifice she receiv'd from our Lords own Words when in that last night commending to his Apostles these Sacred Mysteries 1 Cor. 10.24 Do this says he in Commemoration of me He then Note as has bin defin'd by the Holy Synod made them Priests and appointed that both they and those who were to succeed them in the Priests Office should Sacrifice and Offer his Body And this the Words of the Apostle written to the Corinthians evidently shew when he says 1. Cor. 10â— Ye cannot drink the Chalice of the Lord and the Chalice of Devils ye cannot be partakers of the Table of the Lord and of the Table of Devils For as by the Table of Devils is to be understood the Altar whereon Sacrifice was done to them so also that what the Apostle proposes may by probable Argument be concluded the Table of the Lord can signifie nothing else but the Altar on which Sacrifice was done to the Lord. Now if from the Old Testament we would have some Figures and Oracles of this Sacrifice LXXXI Figures and Prophecies of the Sacrifice of the Eucharist first then Malachias has most plainly prophecy'd of it in these words From the rising up of the sun to the going down thereof my name is great among the Gentiles and in every place a clean oblation is offered to my name because my name is great among the Gentiles says the Lord of Hosts Besides this Hoste or Sacrifice was foreshew'd as well before as after the Law was given in divers kinds of Sacrifices for this one Sacrifice as the Perfection and Fulfilling of all the rest contains in it all those good things which were but signifi'd by those other Sacrifices But yet we cannot see the Figure of This better express'd in any thing thah in Melchizedechs Sacrifice for our Savior himself declaring himself to be a Priest forever according to the Order of Melchizedech at his last Supper offer'd his own Body and Blood to God the Father under the species of Bread and Wine We therefore acknowledge it to be LXXXII The Sacrifice of the Mass and of the Cross is one and the same Sacrifice and it ought to be accounted but One and the same Sacrifice which is done in the Mass and which was offer'd on the Cross even as it is One and the same Hoste to wit Christ our Lord who once only offer'd himself in his Blood upon the Cross For the Bloody and Vnbloody Hoste is not Two Hosts but one Hoste only Luc. 22.19 1 Cor. 11.24 the Sacrifice whereof is renew'd daily in the Church after that our Lord had commanded thus Do this in Commemoration of me And there is One and the same Priest Christ the Lord LXXXIII Christ and the Priests are but One Priest For the Ministers that make this Sacrifice undergo not their own but the Person of Christ when they consecrate his Body and Blood as is evident from the words of the very Consecration for the Priest says not This is Christ's Body but This is my Body to wit bearing the Person of Christ our Lord he changes the substance of the Bread and Wine into the true Substance of his Body and Blood Chrys hom 2. in 2. ad Tim.
thing only lest in any thing we may offend the Majesty of God we wholly forsake the custom of sinning By these Steps or Degrees therefore we come to this most excellent Vertue of Penance XII Heaven promis'd to Penance which may well be accounted a divine and heavenly Vertue Because to it the Holy Scripture promises the Kingdom of Heaven For in S. Matthew it is written Do Penance for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Matt. 4 17. And in Ezekiel Ezek. 18.21 If a wicked Man do Penance for all the sins which he has done and shall keep all my commandments and do justice and judgment he shall live And also in another place Ezek. 33.11 I will not the Death of a sinner but that the wicked Man be converted from his evil way and live Which that it is to be understood of that bless'd and eternal Life is plainly evident But of External Penance it is to be taught XIII External Penance which is the Sacrament that it is That wherein the Reason or Nature of the Sacrament consists and that it has some external things subject to the senses whereby those things are declar'd which are done inwardly in the Soul And First XIV Why Christ instituted this Sacrament The First Cause it seems necessary to be explain'd to the Faithful Why it was that Christ our Lord would have Penance in the Number of the Sacraments And hereof this was certainly the cause That we might doubt the less concerning the Remission of sins which God had promis'd us when he said Ezek. 18.12 If the wicked man do Penance c. For it must needs be that we be very dubious in our minds of our inward Penance seeing every one deservedly ought to fear concerning his own judgment of those things he does himself Now therefore that the Lord might relieve our sollicitude he instituted the Sacrament of Penance wherein through the Absolution of the Priest we may consider that our sins are forgiven us and our Consciences by the Faith which justly ought to be given to the vertue of the Sacraments are more quieted For neither are the words of the Priest legitimately pardoning our sins to be receiv'd otherwise than of Christ himself Mat. 6.22 who said to the Lame-man Son be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee Vide Concil Trid. Sess 14. c. 1. Innoc. 1. Epist 91. inter Epist Aug. And then The Second Cause seeing that no one can obtain Salvation but through Christ and the benefit of his Passion it was fit and very profitable to us that such a kind of Sacrament as this should be instituted by the Vertue and Efficacy whereof Christs Blood flowing to us might do away our sins committed after Baptism and that we might acknowledg with due thankfulness that we owe the Benefit of our Reconciliation to Christ our only Savior But that Penance is a Sacrament XV. Penance prov'd to be a Sacrament the Pastors may easily shew thus For as Baptism is a Sacrament because it blots out all our sins and especially that which was contracted by our Birth For the same reason Penance must truly and properly be call'd a Sacrament because it takes away all sins done after Baptism in the Will or in the Act. And then which is the chief seeing those things which are done outwardly both by the Penitent and by the Priest do declare those things which are inwardly wrought in the Soul who is there can deny that Penance is endued with the true and proper reason or nature of a Sacrament For a Sacrament is a sign of a Sacred thing But a sinner that does Penance by the Notes of Words and Things plainly expresses That he has withdrawn his mind from the Filthiness of sin And also from those things which are done and said by the Priest we easily understand the Mercy of God forgiving those sins Altho those words of our Savior plainly shew this thing Mar 16.19 I will give thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatsoever thou shall loose in Earth shall be loos'd also in Heaven For the Absolution of the Priest pronounc'd by words signs that Remission of sins which it works in the Soul Nor are the Faithful to be taught only that Penance is to be reckon'd in the number of the Sacraments XVI The Sacrament of Penance may be iterated but also that it is One of Those that may be iterated For to Peter asking Whether Forgiveness of sin might be given seven times Our Lord answer'd Matt. 18.22 I say not to thee till seven times but till seventy times seven Wherefore if we have to do with such men as seem to distrust the supreme Goodness and Mercy of God the Souls of such are to be confirm'd and to be supported with the Hope of Divine Grace Which they will easily do by the handling of this Point and of very many others which they meet with in the Holy Scriptures and also with those Reasons and Arguments which they may find in S. Chrysostoms book de Lapsis and S. Ambrose's books of Penance Chrysostom 5. lib. de Laps repar habetur de Poen dist 3. c. talis Ambr. de poen lib. 1. c. 1 2. vide Aug. lib. de vera falsa poen c. 5. citatur de poen dist 3. c. adhuc instant Now since the Faithful ought to know nothing more than the Matter of this Sacrament XVII The Matter of Penance what it must be taught that herein chiefly this Sacrament differs from the rest that the Matter of the other Sacraments is some natural thing or made by Art But that which is as the Matter of this Sacrament of Penance are the Actions of the Penitent to wit Contrition Confession and Satisfaction as has bin declar'd by the Council of Trent S ss 24 de poenit c. 3. can 4. because so far as by Gods institution they are requir'd in the Penitent to the Integrity of the Sacrament and to the full and perfect Remission of sins for this reason they are call'd Parts of Penance Nor are these Acts said by that Holy Synod to be as the Matter Note because they have not the true Reason of Matter But because they are not Matter of that kind which is us'd extrinsecally as Water in Baptism and Chrism in Confirmation But then XVIII In What sense sin is the Matter of Penance As to what is said of Others that the sins themselves are the Matter of this Sacrament there will seem to be no difference therein if we consider well For as we say that Wood is the Matter of Fire which by the force of the Fire is consum'd So sins which are blotted out by Penance may rightly be call'd the Matter of this Sacrament Now the explication of the Form also is not to be omitted by the Pastors XIX The Form of the Sacrament of Penance because the knowledg thereof will
it came so to pass also that Pardon of Sins should be deny'd but to a very few Wherefore it was needful that the most merciful Lord should â—rder the common Salvation of Mankind after an easier way which by his admirable Counsel he has done when he deliver'd to his Church the Keys of the Kindgom of Heaven For by the Doctrin of Catholic Faith XLVII Confession perfects Contrition All must believe and constantly affirm If any one be so affected in mind as to bewail his sins and also to sin no more for the future altho he be not affected with such a kind of sorrow as may be sufficient to get him Pardon Yet when he has rightly confess'd his sins to a Priest by Vertue of the Keys all his wickednesses and sins are remitted and forgiven him That worthily by the most Holy Men our Fathers was it celebrated That an Entrance into Heaven is open'd by the Keys of the Church Whereof it is not fit for any one to doubt since we read it decreed by the Council of Florence That the Effect of Penance is Absolution from Sins Amb. Serm. 1. de Quadrag citatur de Poenit. dist 1. c. ecce nunc August lib. 2. de adult conjug 59. Chrysost de sacerd lib. 3. in Decreto Eugenii IV. And we may further learn from hence XLVIII Confession a most sure way of amending manners how much advantage Confession brings because we find by experience that there is nothing so profitable for the amendment of manners to those whose custom of Life has bin corrupt as if they lay open to some Prudent and Faithful Friend who can help him with his pains and counsel all the secret Thoughts of his Heart his Actions and Words Wherefore according to the same Reason it must be thought very wholsom for those who are conscious of the guilt of Sin to open the Sicknesses and Wounds of their Souls to a Priest as to the Vicar of Christ our Lord who is under the most severe Law of perpetual silence For they presently find Remedies prepar'd for them D. Poenit. dist 6. c. Sacerdot which have such a heavenly Vertue of curing not only the present Sickness but also of disposing the Soul in such a manner that thenceforth it will not be easie for the future to fall into the like kind of Disease and Vice Nor is this advange of Confession to be pretermitted XLIX Confession exercises the Bad. which is very pertinent to the society and conjunction of Life For it is evident that if you take away Sacramental Confession from Christian Discipline all things will be full of hidden and horrid wickedness Which afterwards and many others also much more heinous Men deprav'd by the custom of Sin will not fear to commit openly For the modesty and shame of Confessing calls a Bridle as it were upon the desire and liberty of offending and restrains Dishonesty And now the advantages of Confession being laid open L. The Description of Sacramental Confession the Pastors must teach what the Nature and Vertue thereof is They therefore define it to be an Accusation of sins which belongs to a kind of Sacrament done to this End that by vertue of the Keys we may get Pardon And it is rightly call'd an Accusation LI. With what mind sins are to be declar'd in Confession because sins are not so to be commemorated as tho we boasted of our wickedness as they do who are glad when they have done mischief nor are they altogether to be told as if for divertisement or sport to some idle Hearers we were telling some matter that had bin done but they are so declar'd by a mind accusing it self as that we desire also to revenge them in our selves But we confess our sins to the End that we may get pardon LII We must confess to get Pardon Chrys 20. in Genes because this Judgment is far unlike those Courts which make inquisitions of Capital Causes where the Pain and Punishment of Confession is not made to be a Discharge of the Fault or a Pardon of the Offence In the same sense in a manner altho in other words the most holy Fathers seem'd to have defin'd Confession as when S. Austin says Aug. Serm. 4. de Verbis Domini Greg hom 40. in Evang Confession is that by which the Disease which lay hid is laid open by the Hope of Pardon And S. Gregory Confession is the Detestation of sins either of which because it is contain'd in the definition above mentioned may easily be referr'd to it And now LIII Confession instituted of Christ which is above all the Curats shall teach and without any doubtfulness deliver to Faithful that this Sacrament was instituted by Christ our Lord who did all things well and for the sake of our Salvation For after his Resurrection the Apostles being gather'd together into one place he breath'd upon them saying Joh. 20.22 Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose sins ye remit they are remitted to them and whose sins ye retain they are retained Vide Trid. Sess 14. de poenit c. 5. can 6. Aug. lib. hom 64. citatur de poenit dist 1. c. agite Orig. hom 1. in Ps 37. Chrysost de Sacerd. lib. 3. When therefore the Lord gave power to the Priests of Retaining and Remitting sins LIV. Confession to be made to the Priest it is plain that they were made Judges of the Matter And the Lord seem'd to signifie the same thing when he gave his Apostles that imployment to loose Lazarus Joh. 11. when he was rais'd from the Dead from those Bands wherewith he was bound For S. Austin explains that place thus Aug. de vera falsa poenit â—tia c 16. Serm. 8. de verb. Domini They says he the Priests can now profit more they can spare more those that confess to whom they forgive sin to wit the Lord by the Apostles deliver'd Lazarus whom he had rais'd from the Dead to his Disciples to be loos'd shewing that the Power of Loosing was now granted to his Church Whither also belongs that which he commanded those who on their journey were cleans'd of their Leprosie that they should shew themselves to the Priests and undergo their judgment Since therefore the Lord has given to the Priests a Power of Remitting and Retaining sins it is evident that they are appointed Judges of that Matter and because as the Holy Synod of Trent has wisely admonish'd Sess 14. c. 5. can 7. de Poenit. that a true judgment cannot be made concerning any thing and in appointing punishments of sins there can be no Measure of Justice held unless the Cause be truly known and searched into from hence it follows that by the Confession of Penitents all sins are severally to be laid open to the Priests That the Priests are Judges of sins S. Austin teaches lib. 20. de civit Dei c. 9. Hieron Epist 1.
ad Heliod Chrysost lib. 3. de Sacerd. Hom. 5. de verbis Isaiae Gregor Hom. 26. in Evang. Amb. lib. 2. de Cain c. 4. Trid. Sess 14. de Poenit. c. 5. Can. 7. The Pastors therefore shall teach these things which have bin decreed by the Holy Synod of Trent LV. The Confirmation of what was said before and always deliver'd by the Catholic Church For if we attentively read the most Holy Fathers we shall every where meet with most plain testimonies whereby it will be confirm'd that this Sacrament and the Law of Sacramental Confession which they call'd in Greek Exomologesis and Exagoreusis as receiv'd from the very Gospel was instituted by Christ our Lord. But if we desire Figures of the Old Testament also without doubt those various kinds of Sacrifices which were made by the Priests for the expiating of divers kinds of sins do seem to belong to the Confession of sins But because the Faithful are to be taught that Confession was instituted by our Lord and Savior LVI Ceremonies us'd at Confession It is fit that there should be also some Rites and solemn Ceremonies added by the Authority of the Church to admonish them which tho they belong not to the vertue of the Sacrament yet they put more plainly before mens Eyes the dignity thereof and dispose the Souls of them that Confess being already kindl'd with devotion the more easily to obtain the Grace of God For when with uncover'd Head cast down at the Priests feet with countenance down towards the Earth and hands stretch'd forth in a beseeching posture and giving other such like signs of Christian Humility which are not indeed necessary to the Reason or Vertue of the Sacrament we confess our sins from these things we may evidently understand both that there is a Heavenly Vertue in the Sacrament and also that the divine Mercy is to be sought and procur'd by us with the greatest study And now let no one think that Confession was indeed instituted of the Lord LVII The Necessity of Confession but yet so as tho he had not told us that the Use of it is necessary For let the Faithful be assur'd of this that he who is opprest by any Mortal Sin ought to be call'd back to Spiritual Life by the Sacrament of Confession Which thing indeed by a very fair Tradition from our Lord we see plainly signifi'd when he call'd the Power of administring this Sacrament the Key of the Kingdom of Heaven For as no one can go in to any place Mat. 16.19 without the help of him to whom are committed the Keys so we understand that no one is admitted into Heaven except the Doors are open'd them by the Priests to whose Trust the Lord has committed the Keys Otherwise there will plainly seem to be no Use at all of the Keys in the Church and in vain will he to whom the power of the Keys is given prohibit any one the entrance of Heaven if notwithstanding some other way to enter in there may be open'd Now this was excellently observ'd by S. Austin when he said Lib. 50. hom 49. Let no one say to himself I do Penance secretly before God God knows who pardons me what I do in my Heart Mat. 18. Is it therefore without reason said What ye loose on Earth shall be loos'd in Heaven Were the Keys therefore without cause given to the Church of God And to the same sense S. Ambrose in the Book he has left written concerning Penance where he would root up the Heresie of the Novatians Lib. 1. de Poenit. c. 12. who asserted that the Power of forgiving sins was reserv'd to the Lord alone And who says he reverence God more those that obey or those that resist his Commandments God has commanded us to obey his Ministers whom when we obey we give honor to God only But seeing it cannot be doubted LVIII At what Age we are bound to confess that the Law of Confession was made and establish'd by the Lord himself it remains that we see at what time of Age and Years men ought to obey it First therefore by the Canon of the Council of Lateran Lateran Concil c. 21. whose beginning is Omnis Vtriusque sexûs it is evident that no body is bound by the Law of Confession before that Age wherein he may have the Use of Reason Nor yet is that Age by any certain number of years defin'd But this seems to be held in general that Confession ought to be enjoyn'd to a Child from the time when he has the power of discerning betwixt Good and Evil and when his mind is capable of sorrow For when any one comes to that time of his Life when he can consider of his eternal Salvation then ought he to begin to confess his sins to a Priest when otherwise no one can hope for Salvation who is loaded with the Conscience of wickedness But at what time especially Confession ought to be made LIX At what time Confession must be made Holy Church has decreed in that Canon before mentioned For it commands all the Faithful to confess their sins at least once a year But if we consider what the Reason of our Salvation requires verily as often as the danger of Death hangs over us or that we set about any thing the doing whereof does not suit with a person polluted with sin as when we administer or receive the Sacraments so often Confession is not to be pretermitted And the same thing we ought strictly to observe when we fear or are likely to forget any sin we have done Neither can we confess sins which we remember not Neither can we get Pardon of God for those sins unless the Sacrament of Penance by Confession blot them out But because in Confession LX. Confession only to be intire many things are to be observ'd whereof some belong to the Nature of the Sacrament and others are not so necessary concerning these things it must be carefully treat'd For neither are there Books and Commentaries wanting from whence it is easie to fetch the Explication of these things But first of all let the Curats teach this that in Confession there must be care taken that it be intire and absolute For all Mortal sins must be reveal'd to a Priest LXI All Mortal sins altho hid must be confess'd For Venial Sins which do not pluck us away from the Grace of God altho rightly and profitably we confess them as the practice of devout men shews yet they may be pretermitted without Fault and may be expiated many other ways But deadly sins as was said before must be reckon'd up altho they were done never so secretly and undiscover'd and were of that sort which are forbid in the Two last Heads of the Decalogue For it often happens that they wound the Soul more than those which men are use to commit plainly and openly For so it has bin
defin'd by the Holy Synod of Trent and has always bin deliver'd by the Catholic Church even as the Testimonies of the Holy Fathers declare For in S. Ambrose it is declar'd after this manner Sess 14. de Poenit. c. 5. can 7. No one can be justifi'd from his sin unless he confess his sin And S. Hierom upon Ecclesiastes says Lib. de Parad c. 4. If the Serpent the Devil have secretly bit any one and no one know of it he had infected him with the Poison of sin C. 1. Super illud si mordâ—at sâ—rpens circa finem If he hold his Peace and do not do Penance and is not willing to confess is wound to his Brother or Master his Master who has a Tongue to cure him cannot profit him Furthermore S. Cyprian in his Sermon de Lapsis most plainly teaches this in these words Altho they are fetter'd by no such heinous crime as Sacrificing to Idols or Libelling yet because they had thoughts of doing so they ought with grief to confess it to the Priests of God Lastly This is the common voice and sentence of all the Doctors of the Church That all Mortal sins ought severally to be confess'd do teach Aug. lib. de vera falsa Poenit. cap. 10. Greg. hom 10. super Ezekiel Ambr. lib. de parad cap. 14. Hieron in Ecclesiast cap. 10. Cypr. de Lapsis circa finem Vide de Poenit. dist 3. cap. sunt plures c. pluit ibid. dist 1. cap. quem poen ibid pass But in Confession that very great Care and Diligence is to be used LXII How by Confession sins are pluck'd up by the Roots which we are wont to use in the weightiest Matters and all our study ought so to be imploy'd herein that we may cure the Wounds of our Souls and destroy the very Roots of Sin Nor ought we only by a Declaration of them to explain our grievous sins but also all the several Circumstances of every sin which either greatly increase or lessen the sins For some Circumstances are so weighty LXIII The Circumstances which increase the sin must be confess'd that the Nature of the Deadliness of the sin consists only in them wherefore all these things must always be confess'd For if any one shall have kill'd a Man it must be explain'd whether he were a Clerk or a Lay man As also it is necessary that he declare if he lay with a Woman whether she were free from the Law of Marriage or were another Man's Wife or of his Kindred or Consecrated to God by the Betroathing of any Vow For these things make the kinds of sins different So that the first by the Doctors of Holy things is call'd simple Fornication The Second Adultery The Third Incest The Fourth Sacriledge Also Theft is to be reckon'd among sins But if any one shall steal a piece of Gold he certainly sins less than he that steals away a hundred or two hundred pieces or a great quantity of Gold and of especially who stole the Sacred Mony And this Reason belongs also to Place and Time Examples whereof are more known in the Books of many than that we should make mention of them in this place These things Note as we have said are to be numbr'd but those things which do not much increase the wickedness of the thing may without sin be omitted But to Confession it is so necessary LXIV To conceal sin in Confession a great Crime the Confession to be iterated as we said before that it be intire and absolute that if any one in Confession pass over some of those things which ought to have bin explain'd and confess'd only some of them he not only by that Confession reaps no advantage but also fetters himself in a new wickedness Nor is such a kind of reckoning up of sin to be call'd by the name of Confession in which is the Vertue of a Sacrament but rather it is necessary for the Penitent to repeat again his Confession and to acknowledge himself guilty of that sin that he violated the Holiness of that Sacrament by a counterfeit Confession But if for any other cause there may seem to be any defect in the Confession LXV Confession not to be iterated by reason of sin forgot either because the Penitent has forgot some sins or because he has not so narrowly search'd into the secret corners of his Conscience yet because he had it in his mind intirely to confess all his sins he has no need to iterate his Confession But it will be sufficient if when he remembers the sins before forgot he confess them to a Priest at another time Wherein care must be taken LXVI Negligence in examining must be avoided that we do not haply search our Consciences too dissolutely and remissly and so negligently study to bring our sins to remembrance that we may deservedly seem to be willing indeed not to remember them For if we do so we must by all means iterate our Confession Moreover we must take heed LXVII Confession must be naked simple and plain that our Confession be Naked Simple and Plain not artificially compos'd as is done by some who seem rather to lay down the Rule of their Life than to confess their sins For such ought to be our Confession as it may shew us to the Priest to be such Persons as we know our selves to be and may shew things certain for certain and doubtful for doubtful But if sins are not disclos'd or recited Note or the words we make use of be far from the matter we have in hand it is evident that this Confession wants this Vertue They also are much to be commended who use Prudence and Modesty in explaining things LXVIII Prudent and Modest for neither ought there too many words to he us'd but those things which belong to the Nature and Reason of every sin are to be open'd in a short Speech which is joyn'd with Modesty But this must be endeavour'd both by the Confessing Person LXIX Secret and by the Priest that their speech in Confession be secret For which cause it is not lawful for any by any means Note either by Messenger or by Letter to confess their sins because according to reason nothing by that means can be done secretly But nothing so much requires the Care of the Faithful LXX Frequent as to study to cleanse their Soul by a frequent Confession of their Sins For when any one is tempted with any deadly sin there can be to him nothing more wholesome or saving by reason of the many dangers which hang over our life than presently to confess his sins For it is a foul thing for any one to promise himself a long time to live when we are so diligent in cleansing the spots of our Body or of our Cloaths and not to use at least the same diligence that the splendor of our Soul grow not
rusty with the most filthy stains of sin And now we must speak concerning the Minister of this Sacrament And that he is a Priest LXXI An ordinary Priest the lawful Minister of Confession who has the Ordinary or Delegated Power of Absolving sufficiently appears from the Ecclesiastical Laws For he must have not only the Power of Order but of Jurisdiction also that discharges this Office A clear testimony of this Ministery we have from our Lords words in S. John Joh. 20.23 Whose sins ye remit they are remitted and whose sins ye retain they are retain'd And it is manifest that this was spoken not to all but to the Apostles only to whom the Priests succeeded in this Office And this is very consentaneous for whereas every kind of Grace which is given in this Sacrament is deriv'd to the Members from Christ the Head rightly ought they to administer this to Christ's mystic Body i. e. to the Faithful who only have power of consecrating his true Body especially seeing the Faithful by this Sacrament of Penance are made fit and well dispos'd for receiving the Sacred Eucharist But with how great Religion in old times Note in the Primitive Church the Right of the ordinary Priest was preserv'd is easily gather'd from the antient Decrees of the Fathers Whereby it is provided That no Bishop or Priest shall presume to act any thing in another's Diocess or Parish either by his authority who is over him or unless a great necessity seems to compel it And it was so decreed by the Apostle when he commanded Titus Tit. 1.5 That he should appoint Priests in every City to wit who might feed and educate the Faithful with the Heavenly Food of Doctrin and of the Sacraments Altho if there be imminent danger of Death LXXII At the Point of Death every Priest is the Minister of Confession and the proper Priest cannot be had that by this occasion none might perish the Council of Trent teaches That it has bin observ'd in the Church of God that it is lawful for any Priest not only to remit all kinds of sins to whose jurisdiction soever they belong but even to absolve them from the Bond of Excommunication also Sess 14. c. 6. de Peonit Now besides the Power of Order LXXIII The Qualities of the Minister of Confession and of Jurisdiction which are very necessary It is first Necessary that the Minister of this Sacrament be indu'd both with knowledg and Learning and Prudence For he bears the Person both of a Judg and of a Physician As to the First That he be Learn'd It is evident enough that it is not a common Knowledg which is necessary and which enables him to discover sins of the divers kinds of sins to judg which are weighty which are lighter according to the Rank and quality of the Person But as he is a Physician Prudent Ex Basilio in reg brâ—vib q. 229. he has need of the greatest prudence also For great care must be taken that those Remedies be apply'd to the sick person which seem to be proper to heal his Soul and to strengthen it for the future against the force of the Distemper Whence the Faithful may understand Of upright Life that every one ought to take extraordinary care to choose himself a Priest whose Integrity of Life Learning and prudent Judgment may commend him Who understands well of how grat weight and Moment the Office is wherein he is plac'd and what Punishment is suitable to every offence and who are to be absolv'd and who to be bound But because there is no one who does not earnestly desire LXXIV Most strictly forbid to reveal the sins of the Penitent that his Wickedness and Shame might be hid The Faithful are to be admonish'd that there is no reason to fear lest those things which they reveal in Confession shall ever be made known to any one by the Priest or lest he may at any time fall into danger thereby For the Sacred Laws will most severely revenge it upon those Priests who shall not have conceal'd with perpetual and religious silence all sins which any one shall have confess'd to them Wherefore in the great Council of Lateran we read thus Cap. 21. Let the Priest take special heed that neither by Word or Sign or by any other way he at any time betray the sinner And now the Order of the Matter requires LXXV The Negligence of sinners reprov'd since we have spoken of the Minister that some special Heads should be explain'd which are not a little suitable to the Use and Practice of Confession For a great part of the Faithful to whom commonly nothing seems more tedious than the passing away of those days which by Ecclesiastical Law are appointed for confession are so far from Christian Perfection that scarcely do they remember those sins which are to be reveal'd to the Priest nor yet do they diligently take care of those things which it is plain have a very great Power to reconcile the Divine Grace to them Wherefore since all endeavor must be us'd to further their Salvation The Priest shall carefully observe in the Penitent LXXVI It must be well observ'd whether the Penitent be contrite whether he have a true contrition for his sins and be stedfastly resolv'd for the time to come to leave them off And if they shall observe him to be so affected LXXVII When the Penitent is found contrite what he is to be exhorted to they shall earnestly admonish and exhort him that for so great and singular a benefit he give God his greatest thanks and never cease to seek of him the protection of his Heavenly Grace Wherewith being arm'd and secur'd he may easily resist and oppose his evil lusts He is also to be taught that he suffer no day to pass without meditating somewhat of the Mysteries of the Passion of our Lord and stir up and inflame himself to imitate him and to love him with the greatest Charity for by this Meditation he will obtain this that he will feel himself every day more and more safe from all the Temptations of the Devil For neither is there any other cause why we yield both our courage and our strength so soon and so easily to be overcome by the Enemy than that we labor not by the Meditation of heavenly things to conceive the Fire of divine Love whereby our Mind might be refresh'd and supported But if the Priest shall understand LXXVIII If he seem not to be contrite what is then to be done that he that is willing to confess does not so bewail his sins as that he may truly be said to be contrite he shall endeavor to affect him with an earnest desire of Contrition that thenceforth being inflam'd with the desire of this excellent Gift he may resolve with himself to beg and beseech it of the mercy of God But first of
upon the Name of the Lord. Another kind of Satisfaction is call'd Canonical LXXXVII The Second is Canonical satisfaction which being defin'd is perfected in a certain space of Time Wherefore it has bin receiv'd by the most antient usage of the Church That when Penitents are absolv'd from sins some Punishment is requir'd of them the undergoing of which Punishment is us'd to be call'd Satisfaction By the same Name also is any kind of Punishment signifi'd LXXXVIII The Third is any Punishment freely undertaken which for sins we endure not as appointed by any Priest but of our own free accord undertaken and laid upon our selves by our selves for sins Note But this belongs not to Penance as a Sacrament But that only is to be thought a part of the Sacrament which as we said is to be paid to God for sins by the command of the Priest This being added That we stedfastly purpose and resolve in our Hearts with our utmost labor and care to avoid sin for the Future For so some define it LXXXIX What it is to satisfie To satisfie is to pay due Honor to God But it is sufficiently evident that no one can give due Honor to God but he that resolves to avoid sin by all means And to satisfie is to cut oft the Causes of sins and not to indulge any entrance to their Suggestions According to which Sentence Mark this Definition some have thought that Satisfaction is a Cleansing whereby whatsoever Uncomeliness by reason of Stain remains in the Soul is wash'd away and we are absolv'd from the Temporal Punishments wherewith we were held Which things seeing they are so XC How Satisfaction is prov'd necessary it will be easie to perswade the Faithful how necessary it is for Penitents to exercise themselves in this study of Satisfaction For they are to be taught that there are two things which follow sin to wit Stain and Punishment And altho together with the Fault committed the Punishment of Eternal Death with the Damn'd be forgiven Yet it does not always happen as has bin declar'd by the Council of Trent Sess 14. c. 8. Can. 12. 15. Gen. 3.17 Num. 12.21 2 Reg 12.23 That the Lord remits the Relics of sin and the temporal Punishments which are due to sin Of which thing there are plain Testimonies in Sacred Scripture Genesis ch 3. Numbers 12 and 22. and in many other places But we will see that most clear and illustrious place of David To whom altho Nathan said The Lord also has took away thy sin Thou shalt not dye Nevertheless he freely underwent very grievous punishments Night and Day imploring the Mercy of God in these Words Psal 50.4 Wash me further from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin because I acknowledg my Iniquity and my sin is ever against me In which words is begg'd of God that he would pardon not only the Crime but also the Punishment due to the Crime and that he would restore him being purg'd from the Relics of sin into his former state of Excellency and Integrity And this he begg'd with most earnest Prayers Yet the Lord afflicted him Both with the Death of the Child gotten in Adultery and with the Rebellion and Death of Absalom whom he dearly lov'd and with other Punishments and Calamities which he had before threatned him with In Exodus also Exo. 32.8.9 Altho the Lord were intreated by the Prayers of Moses to spare the people for their Idolatry yet he threatens That he will recompence them with grievous Punishments for so great a Wickedness And Moses himself testifies That so it will be that the Lord would most severely revenge it even to the Third and Fourth Generation Now that these things have bin always deliver'd by the Holy Fathers in the Catholic Church i◠most evidently prov'd by their authority Vide Aug. lib. 2. de peccat merit remiss cap. 34. contra Faust lib. 22. cap. 66. praesertim in Joan. tract 124. paulò ante med Greg. lib. 9. Moral cap. 24. Chrysost hom 8. ad Popul Antioch Iterum Aug. Ench. cap. 30. Amb. de Poenit. lib. 2. c. 5. Vide item Canones Poenitentiales apud Anton. August vel in Actis Eccl. Mediolan But for what cause it is XCI In Penance as in Baptism the Punishment of sin is not remitted that all Punishment is not equally forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance as in the Sacrament of Baptism is excellently explain'd by the Holy Synod of Trent in these words The Nature or Reason of the Divine Justice seem'd to require that they should by him be receiv'd into Grace after one sort who before Baptism sinn'd through Ignorance and those after another sort who being once freed from the slavery of Sin and the Devil and after having receiv'd the Gift of the Holy Ghost do violate the Temple of God and are not afraid to grieve the Holy Ghost And it becomes the Divine Mercy that our sins should not be forgiven us without any Satisfaction That taking that occasion thinking our sins to be more light than they are as those that are injurious and contumelious to the Holy Spirit we fall into greater sins treasuring up to our selves Wrath against the day of Wrath. For without all doubt XCII Canonical Satisfaction profitable these Satisfactory Punishments do greatly restrain Penitents from sin and hold them back as with a Bridle and make more cautious and watchful for the future And besides First Secondly Ezek. 6. they are as it were certain Testifications of the Grief we take for having committed sin By which means we satisfie the Church who by our wickedness is grievosly offended For as S. Austin affirms God despises not a Contrite and humble Heart but because for the most part the Grief of one Man's Heart is hid from another Man nor does it come forth into the knowledg of other Men by Words or any other Sign rightly are the Times of Penance appointed by those who preside in the Church That so the Church might be satisfi'd in which sins are remitted Besides Thirdly The Examples of our Penance teach others how they ought to order their life and to follow Piety For seeing other Men behold the Punishments laid upon us for our sins they will perceive that they are to use the greatest caution through all their Life and that their former Manners are to be corrected and amended Wherefore it is most wisely observ'd by the Church XCIII Public Penance wisely instituted That when a Heynous Wickedness has bin publicly committed by any one he must undergo public Penance also That others being affrighted with Fear might thenceforth more warily avoid sin Which thing also has bin us'd sometimes to be done even in hidden sins which have bin great Vide Aug. lib. 5. de Civit. Dei cap. 26. Epist 54. l. 50. hom hom 49. de vera falsa Poenit. passim Ambr. lib. 2.
de Poenit. c. 10. citatur de Poenit. dist 3. cap. reperiuntur Cypr. de Lapsis multis in locis Conc. Agathense cap. 35. citatur dist 50. cap. poenitentes But XCIV The manner of the Churches dealing with publick sinners as we said in Public sins this was always held that they who had committed them before they had perform'd Public Penance were not absolv'd But in the mean time the Pastors besought God for their Salvation and ceas'd not to exhort the Penitents themselves also to do the like In which kind the Care and Solicitude of S. Ambrose was very great Paulinus iâ— ejus Vita by whose Tears it is reported That very many who came hard-hearted to the Sacrament of Penance were so softn'd that they conceiv'd the Grief of a true Contrition But afterwards there was so much abated of the severity of antient Discipline XCV How cold alas is Charity grown and Charity grew so cold that now very many of the Faithful do think no inward Sorrow of Mind no lamenting of the Heart necessary But think it enough if they have only the appearance of one that is sorry And then by this kind of suffering Punishments we obtain to our selves XCVI By Penance we are made like to Christ Heb. 2.18 Ser. 5. de Omn. sanct Rom 8.27 2 Tim. 2.11 that we bear the resemblance and Image of Jesus Christ our Head wherein he suffer'd and was tempted For nothing can seem so ugly as S. Bernard says as to be a delicate nice Member under a Thorny Head For as the Apostle witnesses We are Coheirs with Christ if so be we suffer with him and as he has written in another place If we are dead together we shall live together if we suffer together we shall also reign together S. Bernard also affirms XCVII Two Evils in the Soul from sin Serm. 1. in Coena Dom. That in sin are found Two things the Blemish and the Plague of the Soul and that that Foulness is taken away by the Mercy of God but that to heal the Plague of sin that Care is very necessary which for a Remedy is us'd in Penance For as when a Wound is heal'd some Scars remain which also are to be cur'd so in the Soul after the sin is pardon'd the Relics of sin remain to be purg'd away The same thing the sentence of S. Chrysostom plainly confirms when he says Hom 80. ad Pop. Antioch It is not enough that the Arrow be drawn out of the Body but the Wound also made by the Arrow is to be healed so also in the Soul after the Pardon of sin receiv'd the Plague or Sore remaining is to be cur'd by Penance For very frequently we are taught by S. Austin That in Penance In Psal 50. ad haec verba Ecce enim venit these Two things are to be observ'd the Mercy and the Justice of God His Mercy whereby he pardons the Eternal Punishments due to sin His Justice whereby he punishes a Man with Temporal Punishments Lastly XCVIII By Penance we escape those Punishments that are prepar'd of God for us 1 Cor. 3 1. the Punishment of Penance which we take upon our selves turns away God's Revenge and his Punishment intended against us For so the Apostle teaches when he says If we judge our selves we shall not be judg'd but while we are judg'd we are corrected of the Lord that we may not be condemn'd with this world Which things when they are explain'd to the Faithful it can scarce be but that they must needs be stirr'd up to do works of Penance But how great the Force and Vertue of it is XCIX Whence the Vertue of Penance to satisfie and merit is Mat. 10.42 may be gather'd from hence that it wholly depends upon the merit of the Passion of Christ our Lord. From whence also we get these Two very great advantages by our honest Actions The One is That we merit the Rewards of Immortal Glory So that even a Cup of cold Water which we give in his Name wants not a Reward The Other is That we satisfie for our sins Vide de Poenit. Sess 14 cap. 18. can 13 14. Sess 6. de Justific cap. 16 Conc. Trid. Nor does this obscure the most perfect and full Satisfaction of Christ our Lord C. Our Satisfaction hinders not Christ's but illustrates it but on the contrary it comes to pass that it renders it much more clear and bright For by so much the more full does the Grace of Christ appear to be because not only those things are communicated with us which he only merited but those things also which as the Head over the Members he has merited and perform'd in the Saints and Just men By which means it is plain that it comes that the Just and Honest Actions of pious Men have so much Weight and Dignity in them For Christ our Lord CI. Because by Grace we merit and satisfie as the Head over the Members and the Vine to the Branches continually pours forth his Grace upon them who by Charity are join'd with him Which Grace always goes before accompanies and follows our Works and without which we can by no means merit or satisfie God And so it comes to pass that to the Just nothing seems to be wanting CII Being assisted by the Grace of God all can work their Salvation when with their Works which they do by the Power of God they can satisfie the Divine Law as far as their Human and Mortal Condition is capable and get eternal Life which to wit if they depart out of this Life adorn'd with the Grace of God they may merit For it is a noted saying of our Savior He that shall drink of this water that I shall give him shall not thirst forever Joh. 4. but the water which I will give him shall be in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life Now there are Two things CIII Two things requir'd to satisfaction especially requir'd in satisfaction The first is that he who satisfies be Just and a Friend of God For these Works which are done without Faith and Charity can by no means be acceptable to God The other is that such kind of works be undertaken which of their own Nature bring some grief and trouble For seeing they are in recompense for past sins and as Cyprian the Martyr says The Redeemers as it were of sin It is altogether necessary that they have some bitterness in them Lib. 1. Ep. 3. post med altho it do not always follow that those who exercise them in these troublesome Actions have sense of grief thereby For often times either the custom of enduring Note or the heat of Charity to God causes that those things which are most grievous to be endur'd are not at all felt Nor yet is there any reason why those works have not the vertue of satisfying For this is
Parts thereof shall be so taught that the Faithful may not only understand them perfectly but also by Gods help they may resolve indeed to perform them devoutly and religiously Of the SACRAMENT of EXTREAM VNCTION SInce the Holy Oracles of Scripture teach us thus I. Why this Sacrament is often to be treated of In all thy works remember thy last end and thou shalt not sin forever The Curats are tacitly admonish'd that no time is to be pretermitted of exhorting the Faithful Eccl. 7.40 to be daily conversant in the Meditation of Death But how can the Sacrament of Extream Unction choose but have the Memory of that Last day join'd with it Hence we may easily understand that this Sacrament must often be treated of not only for this Reason because it is very convenient to open and unfold the Mysteries of those things which belong to Salvation But also because the Faithful will restrain their evil Lusts when they consider in their minds that there lies upon all a Necessity of Dying wherefore also it will so come to pass that they will feel themselves less troubl'd at the Expectation of Death But let them give immortal thanks to God II. Thanks to be given to God for the Institution of this Sacrament who as in the Sacrament of Baptism he has laid open to us an entrance to the true Life so also when we depart out of this mortal life that we might have a more ready way to Heaven he has instituted the Sacrament of Extream Unction That therefore those things which are more necessary to explain it III. Why this Sacrament call'd Extream Unction may be open'd almost in the same Order which has bin observ'd in the other Sacraments It shall first be taught that This Sacrament is therefore call'd Extream Unction because this of all the Sacred Unctions which our Lord and Savior commended to his Church is last to be administer'd Wherefore this very Unction was also call'd by our Ancestors IV. Other Names of this Sacrament the Sacrament of the Vnction or Anointing of the Sick and the Sacrament of them that go out of the world By which Names the Faithful may easily be brought to the remembrance of their last End Vide Hugon de Sacr. part 15. c. 2. Pet. Dam. Serm. de Dedicat. Eccles But this will be made evident V. Extream Unction prov'd to be a Sacrament if we attend to the words wherewith St. James the Apostle has declar'd the Law of this Sacrament Is any one sick among you says he Let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him anointing him with Oyl in the Name of the Lord First and the Prayer of Faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall ease him Isai 5.14 and if he be in sins they shall be forgiven him For Secondly because the Apostle affirms that sins are forgiven therein he declares the Force and Nature of a Sacrament Now that This was the perpetual Doctrin of the Catholic Church concerning Extream Unction Thirdly both many other Councils testifie and by the Council of Trent it has bin declar'd in such a manner Sess 43. de Extrema Vnct. c. 1. can 3. that she has decreed the Pain of an Anathema against all those who presume to teach or think otherwise And Innocent the First also very much commends this Sacrament to the Faithful Innocent Epist 1. ad Decent cap. 8. citatur dist 95. c. illud superfluum Item Conc. Cabilon cap. 48. Wormaciense c. 72. Constan. Florent It is therefore constantly to be taught of the Pastors VI. Extream Unction is a Sacrament that it is a true Sacrament and not many but One altho it be administer'd with many Unctions or Anointings to every one whereof are us'd proper Prayers and a peculiar Form It is One VII How Extream Unction is One Sacrament not in continuation of the Parts which may not be divided but in perfection of which sort are all other things which consist of many parts For as a House which is compos'd of many and divers things yet is but One only in perfect Form So the Sacrament altho it be made up of many Things and Words yet it is but One sign and has the Efficiency of One thing only which it signifies Moreover VIII This Sacrament has Matter and Form Isai 5.14 the Curats shall teach what the Parts of this Sacrament are The Element I say and The Word For these things are not pass'd over by S. James in every one whereof we may observe their own Mysteries The Element or Matter whereof IX What the matter is In the place before cited as the Councils and especially that of Trent has decreed is Oyl consecrated by a Bishop to wit the Liquor not press'd out of any fat and thick Nature but out of the Buries of the Olives only Now this Matter very fitly signifies that thing which by Vertue of this Sacrament X. How fit this matter is is inwardly wrought in the Soul for as Oyl is very profitable to mitigate the Pains of the Body So the Vertue of the Sacrament lessens the sorrow and grief of the Soul Besides Oyl restores sweetness makes chearful and feeds our Lights and also it is very suitable to refresh and strengthen a weary Body All which things declare what by the Divine Power is wrought upon a sick man thro the Administration of this Sacrament And This concerning the Matter is sufficient XI What the Form of this Sacrament is But the Form of this Sacrament is the Word and that solemn Prayer which the Priest uses at every Anointing when he says God indulge or pardon thee by this Holy Vnction whatsoever offence thou hast done thro the fault of thy Eyes or Nostrils or Touch. Now that This is the true and proper Form of this Sacrament XII This prov'd to be the proper Form the Apostle S. James signifies when he says Let them pray over him and the Prayer of Faith shall save the sick Whence we know that the Form is to be us'd in manner of a Prayer altho with what Words chiefly it is to be conceiv'd the Apostle has not express'd But This we have from the Tradition of the Fathers XIII This Form us'd every where So that all Churches retain this manner of Form which the Roman Church the Mother and Mistress of all Churches uses For tho' some change some few Words as when for God indulge thee They put Remit or Spare and sometimes also Heal whatsoever thou hast committed But yet because there is no alteration of the sense it is evident that the same Form is religiously observ'd of all Nor let any one wonder why it is so XIV Why this Form is in the manner of a Prayer that the Form of other Sacraments either absolutely signifies what it effects as when we say I Baptize thee or I Sign
Extream-Unction is to be receiv'd that nothing may hinder the Grace of this Sacrament and yet that nothing is more contrary to it than the Conscience of any mortal sin the perpetual Practice of the Church Catholic is to be observ'd That before Extream-Unction the Sacraments of Penance and of the Eucharist are to be administer'd And then let the Curats endeavor to perswade the Sick Person to yield the same Faith to the Priests anointing him as those of old times were us'd to give when they were to be heal'd by the Apostles But first of all XXIV The intention of him that desires Extream-Unction the Health or Salvation of the Soul is to be pray'd for and then the Recovery of the Body with this Adjunct if it may be for his Eternal Glory Nor ought the Faithful to doubt XXV This Sacrament to be receiv'd with very great Trust but that those Holy and Solemn Prayers are heard of God which the Priest not bearing his own but the Person of the Church and of our Lord Jesus Christ uses Who in one thing especially are to be exhorted That they will take care Holily and Religiously to administer this Sacrament of the Oyl of Health and Salvation when a sharper Fight seems to begin and the strength both of Soul and Body seems to decay And now who the Minister of Extream-Unction is XXVI A Priest the Minister of this Sacrament we have learn'd of the same Apostle who has publish'd the Law of our Lord For he says Let him call for the Elders By which name he means not those who are elder in Age as by the Synod of Trent has wisely bin expounded or those who have chief place among the People but the Priests who are rightly ordain'd by the Bishops by the Imposition of Hands Ja. 5.14 Sess 14. c. 3. To the Priest therefore the Administration of this Sacrament is committed Nor yet XXVII Of whom this Sacrament to be receiv'd according to the Decree of Holy Church is this power giv'n to every Priest but to the proper Pastor who has Jurisdiction or to some other to whom he has given the Power to discharge his Office But this is specially to be observ'd Note that the Priest in this Administration as it is in the other Sacraments also carries the Person of Christ and of the Holy Church his Spouse The Advantages also of this Sacrament are diligently to be explain'd XXVIII The Fruit of this Sacrament That if nothing els would draw the people to the use thereof they may be led by the very advantage of it seeing it is so order'd as that we may turn almost all things to our own profit The Pastors therefore shall teach The First that in this Sacrament Grace is given which forgives sins and specially the Lesser and as they are commonly call'd Venial For Deadly Sins are taken away by the Sacrament of Penance For neither was this primarily instituted for the Remission of Greater Sins but Baptism only and Penance effect This. There is another Advantage of Sacred Unction The Second that it frees the Soul from Sickness and Infirmity which it has contracted by Sin and from all the other Relics of Sin But that time is to be thought most seasonable for this Cure when we are afflicted with any grievous Sickness and our Life is in danger For it is natural to Man to fear nothing in the World so much as Death Now the Remembrance of former sins very much increases this Fear especially when the Conscience most sharply accuses For as it is written Sap. 4.21 The Fearful shall come into the Consideration of their Sins and their Iniquities shall stand up against them And then the Care and Thought grievously presses them that shortly after they must stand before the Tribunal of God from whom we must receive a most just Sentence according as we have deserv'd But it often happens that the Faithful being strick'n with this Fear feel themselves wonderfully puzzl'd But there is nothing conduces more to the Tranquility of Death The Third than to cast away sorrow and cheerfully to wait for the Lords coming and to be ready willingly to restore what he has intrusted us with whensoever he pleases to call for it from us That therefore the Minds of the Faithful be freed from this Trouble and that the Soul be fill'd with a pious and Holy Joy The Sacrament of Extream-Unction brings to pass Besides The Fourth from hence we get another which may well seem the greatest of all For tho the Enemy of Mankind never ceases as long as we live to endeavor our Ruin and Destruction yet that he might destroy us and if he could possibly bring it about that he might take from us all Hope of God's Mercy he never uses his utmost might and main more violently than when he perceives we draw towards our End Wherefore there is Strength and Weapons minister'd to the Faithful in this Sacrament wherewith they may break the Force and Violence of the Adversary and stoutly fight against him For the Soul of the Sick is eas'd and encourag'd with the Hope of Gods Goodness and being confirm'd therewith she lightly endures all Inconveniencies and more easily escapes the Wiles and Subtilties of the Devil endeavouring treacherously to insnare her Lastly The Fifth follows Health of Body also if it be good for him But if at such Time XXIX Why this Sacrament not so effectual as ir might be the Sick Recover not their Health this comes not by the Fault of the Sacrament but it must be believ'd to come to pass for this Reason because in a great part The Faith either of those who are anointed with Sacred Oyl or of those by whom it is administer'd is weak For the Evangelist testifies Mat. 13.38 That the Lord did not do many mighty works among his own Countrymen because of their Vnbelief Altho it may truly be said That Christian Religion by how much the deeper it has taken Root in the Souls of Men does stand in less need of the proof of such Miracles as these than formerly in the Infancy of the Church it seem'd to do But yet our Faith is here to be excited For XXX The Faith and Hope of the Sick to be incourag'd Howsoever by the Will and Counsel of God it shall happen to the Health of the Body yet the Faithful ought to be strengthen'd with an assur'd Hope that by vertue of the Sacred Oyl they shall get Spiritual Health and that it shall be that if it chance that they go out of this Life they shall have the benefit of that excellent Word Apoc. 14.13 Blessed are the Dead which dye in the Lord. Thus much has bin spoken briefly concerning the Sacrament of Extream Unction But if these Heads of Matters be more largely explain'd by the Pastors and with the diligence as becomes them it is not to be doubted but the
Functions of the Priestly Order XLVIII Five Degrees in the Priestly Order Which Order tho it be but One yet it has different Degrees of Dignity and Power The first is of those who are simply call'd Priests The first of Priests whose Functions have hitherto been declar'd The Second is of Bishops who are plac'd over of their several Bishoprics The second of Bishops to govern not only the other Ministers of the Church but the Faithful People also and with the utmost vigilance and care to take regard of their Salvation Wherefore in Sacred Scripture they are often call'd The Shepherds of the Sheep Whose Duty and Office Paul describes as we read in the Acts of the Apostles Act. 20.29 in that Sermon he made to the Ephesians And also a kind of Divine Rule of that Ministery of a Bishop has bin deliver'd by Peter the Prince of Apostles According to which 1 Pet. 5.2 if the Bishops would study to square their actions it cannot be doubted but that the Pastors will both be and be accounted good Now the same persons are call'd both Bishops and Pontifices or High Priests taking that name from the Ethnics who were us'd to call the chief of their Priests Pontifices or High Priests The Third Degree is of Archbishops The third of Archbishops who preside over many Bishops and these are also call'd Metropolitans because they are Prelates of those Cities which are accounted as it were the Mothers of that Province wherefore they have a higher place and larger Power than Bishops altho in their Ordination they differ in nothing from Bishops In the Fourth Degree are plac'd Patriarchs The Fourth of Patriarchs i. e. the First and Highest Fathers In old time besides the Supreme Bishop of Rome there were in the whole Church only Four Patriarchs nor yet were they all alike in Dignity For the Patriarch of Constantinople altho this Honor was last of all given to him yet for the Majesty of the Empire he obtain'd the higher place The next is the Patriarch of Alexandria whose Church Mark the Evangelist by order of the Prince of Apostles sounded The third is the Patriarch of Antioch where Peter first had his See The last is the Patriarch of Jerusalem which Church S. James the Brother of our Lord built Above all these the Catholic Church has always had a Veneration for the Roman Chief Bishop or Pope The Fifth of Supream Bishop or Pope whom in the Council of Ephesus Cyril Archbishop of Alexandria calls the Father and Patriarch of the whole World For since he sits in the Chair of Peter the Prince of Apostles wherein it is manifest that he sat to the end of his life she acknowledges in him the Supreme degree of Dignity and fulness of Jurisdiction not as given by any Synodical or Human Constitutions but of God Wherefore he being Father and Governor of all the Faithful and of the Bishops also and other Prelates with what Office or Power soever they be endu'd presides over the Universal Church as Peters Successor and the true and lawful Vicar of Christ our Lord. Of the Primacy of the Pope see Anatol. Epist 3. citat dist 22. c. sacro sancta Greg. lib. 7. Epist 64 65. Nicol. Pap. Epist ad Mediolanens citatur dist 22. c. omnes Vide etiam ead dist c. Constantin Conc. Chalced. in Epist ad Leonem From these things therefore the Pastors shall teach XLIX What is to be taught concerning Order both what are the principal Offices and Functions of Ecclesiastical Orders and Degrees and who is the Minister of this Sacrament For it is evident that this Administration belongs to a Bishop L. The Minister of this Sacrament is the Bishop which is easie to prove both from the Authority of the Sacred Scriptures and most certain Tradition the Testimony of the Fathers the Decrees of Councils and the Usage and Practice of Holy Church But tho it be permitted to some Abbots to administer the Lesser but not Sacred Orders yet there is no one doubts that this Office is properly the Bishop's to whom only of all the rest and besides him to no body else it is lawful to receive into the other Orders which are call'd the Greater and Sacred For only the Bishop and he alone ordains Subdeacons and Priests but the Bishops by the Tradition of the Apostles which has always bin preserv'd in the Church are consecrated by Three Bishops It now follows to explain LI. Get care to be us'd in receiving anâ— to Priesthood who are fit for this Sacrament and especially for the Priestly Order and what things are chiefly requir'd in them From hence it will not be hard to determin what ought to be observ'd in the giving of other Orders according to the Office and Dignity of each of them Now that there is very great caution to be us'd in this Sacrament is thus gather'd because the other Sacraments give Grace to the Sanctification and Use of them by whom they are receiv'd But those that are admitted into Sacred Order are therefore partakers of Heavenly Grace that by their Ministery they may help forward the Salvation of the Church and consequently of all Men. Whence we understand it comes to pass that upon certain appointed days only when according to the most antient practice of the Catholic Church solemn Fastings are appointed Ordinations are perform'd to wit that the Faithful People with Devout and Holy Prayers might beseech of God that the Ministers of such kind of sacred things might be render'd more fit to exercise so great a Power as they ought to do and to the profit of the Church First therefore integrity of Manners is very much commendable in him that is to be made a Priest LII Integrity of Life necessary in making a Priest not only because if being conscious to himself of any mortal sin he procure or but even suffer himself to be receiv'd into Sacred Order he intangles himself in a new and a most extream wickedness But also because he ought to shew himself a Light and a Guide of Vertue and Innocence to others For this cause what the Apostle commanded Titus and Timothy Tit. 1. 1 Tim. 3. is to be declar'd to the Pastors and also it is to be taught That the Deformities of the Body which in the Old-Law by the commandment of the Lord excluded any from the Ministery of the Altar in the Evangelical Law is specially to be apply'd to the deformity of Mind Wherefore we consider that that Holy Custom is preserv'd in the Church that they who are to be ordain'd endeavor diligently first to purge their Consciences by the Sacrament of Penance Furthermore LIII Knowledg also necessary to a Priest there is requir'd in a Priest not that knowledg only which belongs to the Use and Ministring of the Sacraments but he ought also to be so furnish'd with the knowledg of Sacred Scripture
for God and then what we desire for our selves And because this Desire and Petition is about such things as we want V. What may be desir'd in this Petition nor can there be any Accession to the true God i. e. to his Nature nor the Divine Substance be any way increas'd because after an inexpressible manner it is fill d with all Perfection it is to be understood that what we pray for of God concerning himself belongs not to this Matter but to his external Glory For we beg and pray Note these three things that God's Name may be better known to all Nations that his Kingdom may be enlarg'd that there may daily be more that yield Obedience to his Divine Name Which three things his Name Kingdom and Obedience are not his internal Good but are assum'd from without Now when we desire that God's Name may be sanctified VI. What is first desir'd in this Petition our meaning is that the Holiness and Glory of God's Name may be increas'd And here the Curat shall observe and teach his devout Hearers That our Saviour says not that it be sanctified in the same measure in Earth as it is in Heaven i. e. that the Earthly Sanctification of it should equal the Heavenly for this can by no means be done but that it be done out of Love and an inward Endeavor of the â—oul Altho most true it is VII To sanctifie God's name H w it may be done that God's Name of it self wants not Sanctification since it is Holy and Terrible even as God himself of his own Nature is Holy Ps 100.10 nor can any Holiness be added to him wherewith from all Eternity he was not endu'd Mark the Sense Yet because in Earth he is far less honor'd than is fit and sometimes also is abus'd with Curses and wicked Expressions therefore we desire and pray that he may be celebrated with Praise Honor and Glory after the example of that Honor and Glory which is given him in Heaven i. e. that his Honor and Worship may be so frequent in our Heart in our Soul and Mouth that we magnifie him with all Veneration both inward and outward and celebrate the Holy and Glorious God after the Pattern of the Citizens of Heaven above For as they in Heaven A Similitude with the exactest agreement give Glory and Renown to God so we pray that the same may be done in Earth and that all Nations may know worship and reverence God that there may no where be found any of Mankind who embrace not the Christian Religion and dedicate their whole Selves to God believing that in him is the Fountain of all Holiness and that there is nothing Pure or Holy which comes not from the Holiness of his Divine Name For the Apostle testifies Note Eph. 5.26 That the Church is cleans'd by the Laver of Water in the Word of Life But the Word of Life signifies the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost in which we are Baptiz'd and Sanctified Because therefore there can be no Expiation for any VIII What secondly no Purity no Integrity upon whom God's Name is not call'd we wish and pray God that all Mankind leaving the Blindness of their impure Infidelity and being illuminated with the Rays of the Divine Light may come to know the Vertue of this Name so as in him to seek true Holiness and by God's Mercy receiving the Sacrament of Baptism in the Name of the Holy and Undivided Trinity they may obtain the Vertue of perfect Holiness IX What thirdly Our Prayer and Petition therefore belongs no less to those that being polluted with Sin and Wickedness have lost the pure Integrity of Baptism and Robe of Innocency whereby it came to pass that in those most miserable Wretches that most unclean Spirit has again taken up his Seat We wish therefore and pray God that in them also his Name may be sanctified that returning to a due Consideration and Soberness of Mind they may by the Sacrament of Penance redeem their former Holiness and yield themselves a pure and holy Temple and Dwelling to God Lastly X. What fourthly Jac. 1.17 They shall pray That God would illuminate the Souls of all that they may see that every good and perfect Gift coming down from the Father of Lights is given us of God whereby they freely obtain Temperance Justice Life Salvation and lastly all good things of the Soul and of the Body for Life and Salvation from whom as the Church declares proceeds all good things and whatsoever Benefits Mankind enjoys by the Light of the Sun and by the Motion and Course of the other Stars that by this Spirit every where diffusing it self we are nourish'd that the Earth sustains our Life with plenty of all her Fruits and Provisions that by the Care of the Magistrats we enjoy Quiet and Tranquillity Now these and innumerable other Benefits of this kind God's infinit Bounty affords us And for those which Philosophers call Second Causes we ought to intepret them as the Hands of God wonderfully made and fitted for our Use wherewith he distributes us his good things and pours them out upon us far and wide But that which contains the chief Point in this Petition XI What fifthly and lastly is this That all Men may know and reverence the most Holy Bride of Jesus Christ and our Mother the Church in whom alone is that most plentiful and everlasting Fountain that cleanses and washes away all the Spots of Sin and from whom we have all the Sacraments of Salvation and Sanctification whereby as by a kind of Heavenly Pipes that Dew and Liquor of Holiness is convey'd from God to us to whom alone and to those whom she embraces in her Bosom and Lap belongs the imploring of that Divine Name Act. 4.12 which alone under Heaven is given to Men whereby they must be sav'd Vide August Serm. 181. de Tempore Greg. l 35. Moral c. 6. Now the Curat must drive this Point home Let the Pastor mark and teach this That it is the part of a good Child not only in Word to pray to God his Father but also to endeavor in Deed and in Work that the Sanctification of God's Name may shine forth in him And would to God there were none XII How contrary an ill Life is to this Petition who while they daily pray for the Sanctification of God's Name do violate it as much as lies in them by their Deeds by whose Fault sometimes God himself is ill spoken of against whom it is said of the Apostle The Name of God thro you is blasphem'd among the Gentiles And we read in Ezekiel They went to the Gentiles among whom they enter'd and polluted my Holy Name while it was said of them This is the People of the Lord and they came out of his Land Rom. 2.24 Ezek. 37.20 For see
this blind Pilgrimage we are absent from the Lord XXII Our Instability in the Kingdom of Grace we often slip and fall casting off the Admonitions of the Kingdom of Grace wherewith we were secur'd but when the Light of the Kingdom of Glory which is perfect shall have enlightned us we shall always stand firm and stable for every Fault and Inconveniency shall be taken away every Infirmity being confirmed shall be strengthen'd Lastly God himself will reign in our Soul and Body But this thing has bin more fully handled in the Creed when we discours'd of the Resurrection of the Flesh These things therefore XXIII What things are here pray'd for First which shew the common Sense of the Kingdom of God being explain'd we must shew what this Petition properly prays for Now we beg of God that Christs Kingdom which is the Church may be propagated that all Infidels and Jews Schismatics and Heretics may turn themselves to the Faith of Christ our Lord and receive the Knowledg of the true God and return to Soundness of Mind and to the Communion of the Church of God from whence they are fallen that it may be fulfil'd and brought to that Issue which the Lord spake by the Mouth of Isaiah Isa 54.2 Enlarge the place of thy Tents and stretch out the Borders of thy Tabernacles make thy Lines long renew thy Rule for thou shalt penetrate to the right and left Hand because he that made thee shall reign over thee And again The Gentils shall walk in thy Light Isa 60.5 and Kings in the brightness of thy rising lift up thy Eyes round about and see all these are gather'd together they came to thee thy Sons shall come from far and thy Daughter shall rise from beside thee But because in the Church there are some that in their Words confess God Secondly but in their Deeds deny him and yet boast of their deform'd Faith in whom by Reason of Sin the Devil dwells and rules as in his own Houses we pray also that the Kingdom of God may come upon them whereby the Darkness of their Sins being dispell'd and being illustrated with the Rays of the Divine Light they may be restor'd into their former Dignity of being the Children of God that all Heretics and Schismatics being taken away and all Offences and all causes of Sin cast forth out of his Kingdom our Heavenly Father may purge the Floor of his Church that in worshipping God devoutly and holily she may enjoy a quiet Peace and Tranquillity Lastly Thirdly we pray that God alone may live in us and he alone may reign in us that hereafter there be no place for Death but that it may wholly be swallowed up in the Victory of Christ our Lord who having scattered and dispersed all the Principality of the Enemies by his own Power and Might he may subject all things under his Government And it shall be the Curats Care XXIV The Curats Duty in this case to teach the Faithful what the Reason of this Petition requires with which Thoughts and Meditations being furnish'd they may make these Prayers devoutly to God And First they shall exhort them to consider the Force and Meaning of that Parable us'd by our Saviour The Kingdom of Heaven is like to a Treasure hidden in a Field which he that found it in the Ground hid and for joy thereof goes and sells all that he has and buys that Field For he that knows the Riches of Christ our Lord XXV All things seems vile when we know Gods Kingdom will despise all things in comparison of them all Excellencies Riches and Power will seem mean to him for nothing can be compar'd to that most precious Jewel or be able to stand before it Wherefore those that know it Phil. 8. will cry out with the Apostle I account all things but loss and esteem them but as Dung that I may gain Christ This is that famous Jewel of the Gospel Matth. 13.45 for which he that sells all his Goods and gives the Mony thereof shall enjoy everlasting Happiness O happy we XXVI How precious this Jewel of didivine Grace is Rom. 8.15 if Jesus Christ would give us so much Light as to see this Jewel of Divine Grace whereby he reigns in those that are his for we would sell all that we have yea and our very selves to buy and secure this for then at last we might assuredly say Who shall separate us from the love of Christ But if we would know what is the exceeding Excellency of the Kingdom of Glory let us hear the Words and Sentences of the Prophet and Apostle agreeing in the same Isa 64.2 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye has not seen neither has Ear heard nor has it enter'd into the Heart of Man what things God has prepar'd for them that love him Now XXVII That we may be heard we must pray with Humility for the obtaining what we desire it will be very profitable to consider with our selves what we are i. e. the Offspring of Adam justly cast out of Paradice and Exiles whose unworthiness and Perverseness might rather deserve God's utmost Hatred and eternal Punishments XXVIII The Advantage of self-despising The First Wherefore it then behoves us to be of an humble and lowly Spirit Our Prayer also will be full of Christian Humility And wholly distrusting our selves The Second we will betake our selves as that Publican did to God's Mercy And ascribing all to his Bounty Third Rom. 8.15 we will give him immortal Thanks who has given us his Holy Spirit incourag'd by whom we may be embolden'd to cry Abba Father And we shall take Care and Consideration what we are to do The Fourth and on the contray what to avoid that we may come to the Kingdom of Heaven For we are not call'd of God to Idleness and Sloth Note for says he Matth. 11.12 the Kingdom of Heaven suffers Violence and the violent take it by force And if thou wilt enter into Life Matth. 19.17 keep the Commandments It is not enough therefore to seek the Kingdom of God XXIX We must labor together with Grace unless Men labor and toil for it for they ought to help and serve that Grace of God in holding that Course which leads to Heaven God never forsakes us Note for he has promis'd to be with us always How ought this one thing therefore to be regarded of us that we forsake not God and our selves And in this Kingdom of God XXX The defence of our Salvation and how great which is his Church are all things wherewith he defends the Life of Man and perfects their eternal Salvation Multitudes of Angels which are invisible and the Benefit of visible Sacraments full of Celestial Treasures in these things there is so much Security appointed us by God that we may be safe not only from the Government of our worst Enemies but
no soundness in my Flesh because of thy Anger neither is there any rest in my Bones by reason of my Sins To wit Explications to be mark d. he observes the force of that Plague when he confess'd that there was no part of him uninfected by the Plague of Sin for the Poison of Sin went into his very Bones i. e. it had infected his very Reason and Will which are the most solid parts of the Soul The Sacred Scriptures shew that this Plague spreads its self wide when they call Sinners Lame Deaf Dumb Blind and seiz'd in all their Members But besides XII God is angry at and fights against Sinners the Grief which he felt from the Wickedness as it were of Sin David was more troubled for Gods Anger which he knew he had provoked against himself by reason of his Sin for the Wicked have War with God by whose Wickedness he is beyond Belief offended for the Apostle says Rom. 2.2 Wrath and Indignation and Tribulation and Sorrow to every Soul of Man that does evil For tho the Act of Sin pass'd away utterly XIII After the Act of Sin the Guilt remains yet the Blot and the Guilt of it remains which Gods Anger always hangs over and follows as the Shadow does the Body Therefore when David was wounded with these Arrows he was moved to beg Pardon of his Sins whose both Example of Grief and way of Teaching the Curat having drawn out of his Fiftieth Psalm shall propose them to his Faithful Hearers that by Imitation of the Prophet they may be taught to grieve i. e. they may be taught true Penitence and encouraged with the Hope of Pardon Now how great Advantage this way of teaching has XIV The utility of this Doctrin to lead to Penitence to learn us by our Sorrow for Sin that Word of God in Jeremy shews who exhorting Israel to penitence admonishes them to perceive the Sense of those Evils which were the Consequence of their Sins Jer. 2.19 For see says he that it is an evil and a bitter thing to forsake the Lord thy God and not to fear me says the Lord of Hosts They that want this necessary Acknowledgment and Sense of Grief XV. The hardness of the Impenitent are by the Prophets Esaias Ezekiel and Zachary said to have a hard stony and adamantine Heart For they are like a Stone not softn'd by any Grief having no Sense of Life i. e. of Saving Confession Isa 46.12 Ezek. 36.26 Zach. 7.12 But lest the People being terrified with the Weight of their Sins XVI How Sinners are to be incouraged with Hope of Pardon should despair of being able to obtain Pardon the Curat ought to encourage them to Hope with these Reasons First Because Christ our Lord has given Power to his Churh to forgive Sins as is declar'd in the Sacred Article of the Holy Creed And in this Petition he has taught how great the Goodness and Liberality of God towards Mankind is Secondly for if he were not willing and ready to forgive the Penitent their Sins he would never have appointed us this Form of Prayer Forgive us our Debts Wherefore we ought to keep it fix'd in our Minds XVII Whence Confidence is to be had that he will bestow his Fatherly Compassion upon us since he has commanded us to beg it of him in our Prayer for under this Petition this meaning is fully contain'd that he is so tender towards us as that he will freely pardon true Penitents For he is God XVIII How grievously God is offended by Sin against whom by casting away our Obedience we sin the Order of whose Wisdom by our Deeds and Words we disturb and violate But he is also a most loving Father XIX The singular goodness of God who because he can forgive all things has not only declar'd that he is willing to do it but also drives Men to ask it of him and teaches them with what words to do it Wherefore no one can doubt Note but that by his Guidance it is in our Power to procure to our selves the Grace of God And because this Testification of the readiness of the Divine Will to pardon XX. How Gods Propensity towards us is to be prov'd increases our Faith cherishes our Hope and inflames our Love it is worth the while to amplifie this Point with some Divine Testimonies and Examples of Men to whom being penitent for their very great VVickedness God granted Pardon which because we ran it as far as the matter requir'd in the Entrance of this Prayer and in that part of the Creed which is concerning the Forgiveness of Sins the Curat from thence shall take what seems fit for the teaching of this Point and the rest he shall draw from the Fountain of the Sacred Scriptures And then let them use the same Order which we thought proper to be us'd in the other Petitions XXI What Debt signifies and that the Faithful may know what the word Debts singnifies here lest haply being deceiv'd by the Doubtfulness of the VVord they pray for another thing than what is here to be pray'd for We first must know XXII What we pray here for First That we pray not that the Love which on all Accounts we owe to God with all our Heart with all our Soul and with all our Minds the paying of which Debt is necessary to Salvation should be remitted us And because in the word Debt XXIII The second thing here pray'd for are also contain'd Obedience VVorship Veneration and all other Duties of that kind we pray not to be discharg'd from them neither But we pray that he would discharge us from our Sins XXIV What here pray'd for Luc. 13.4 for so S. Luke interprets it who puts Sins instead of Debts because in committing them we become guilty before God and liable to due Punishments which either by satisfying or suffering we undergo Of this kind that Debt was whereof Christ our Lord spake by the Mouth of the Prophet Psal 68.5 I then pay'd what I never took From which Sentence of Gods VVord we may understand XXV What a Sinner must do that cannot pay that we are not only Debtors but utterly unable to pay since the Sinner of himself can by no means make Satisfaction VVherefore we must fly to God's Mercy to whom because he answers by his Justice which God will never part with we must use Prayer and the Protection of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ without which no one ever obtain'd Pardon of Sins and from which as from its Fountain flows all the Vertue and Efficacy of making Satisfaction For that Price XXVI How plentiful Christs fruits are which was pay'd by Christ our Lord upon the Cross and communicated to us by the Sacraments using the matter with Study and Desire is of so great Efficacy and VVorth that it brings to pass and procures that
to three Heads 176 The Ceremonies and Rights of Confirmation 192 The Ceremonies us'd at the Sacrament of Penance 261 The Ceremonies us'd in the Sacrament of Extream Unction 286 A Character the Effect of three Sacraments 143 What a Character performs 144 Christ's Spiritual Kingdom 34 Christ from his different Natures took different Properties 36 Why Christ call'd our Lord. ibid. Christ not call'd the Son of God by Adoption but by Nature 41 Christ came of David according to the Flesh 42 Why Christ call'd the last Adam ibid. Christs Humility an Example fitted for the beating down our pride 44 Christs Birth teaches us a saving Lesson ibid. Christ's Blood washes away our Sins 105 Christ the Author of all the Sacraments 139 Christ is our Brother 480 Christ's Resurrection destroys not his Brotherhood with Men. ibid. How Christ reigns in us 493 For Christ's sake we must be willing to be counted Fools 504 We must imitate Christ in submitting our Will to Gods Will. ibid. Christ our Lord is Bread 517 The Mystery of Christ's Passion evidently shews Gods Power and Goodness 519 Under the Protection of Christ's Passion we get Pardon of our Sins 525 Christians have all the same Spiritual Original 481 The Knowlege of a Christian comprehended under one Head 5 8 Wherein the Labor of a Christian Teacher ought to be imploy'd 5 Wherein Christian Wisdom differs from that of the World 16 How much a Christian is bound to Christ 37 By the Name Church what is properly to be understood 86 The Difference between Church and Synagogue Pag. 87 The Church call'd by many Names 88. Why the Church call'd Militant and Triumphant 89 The Figures and Similitudes of the Church 90 Who are shut out of the Church ibid. The Properties and Prerogatives of the Catholic Church 91 c. The visible Head of the Church 92 The Unity of the Church 93 The Church call'd Holy 94 The Church is Catholic 95 A certain Rule to know the the true Church from falfe ones 96 The Church is Apostolic ibid. The Church cannot err ibid. Without the Church there is no true Worship 97 God is the Author of the Church 98 We understand by Faith that the Church has the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven ibid. Why we say believe the Church and not in the Church ibid. The Name of Clerk whence deriv'd 300 VVhence the Clerk's Crown had its beginning and what it signifies ibid. The first Commandment of the Decalogue 338 The Reason of the Order of the Commandments 342 A double Precept contain'd in the first Commandment 342 The first and greatest of all the Commandments 343 VVho break the first Commandment ibid. In the first Commandment is not forbidden the Art of Graving Painting or Limning 348 VVhy the first Commandment separate from the second 356 VVhat is forbidden and commanded in the second Commandment 357 The use of that Command about loving our Parents is very extensive 382 The Ten Commandments grav'd in Two Tables and why ibid. VVhy the Command of loving our Parents expresses our Mother 386 VVhy the two last Commandments are joyn'd together 439 A two fold necessity of the two last Commandments ibid. Communion one of the names of the Eucharist 195 Before Communion what Preparation ought to be and how necessary it is 225 One Preparation to the Communion is to have Peace with all 226 Another is to love God 227 All ought to Communicate at least at Easter ibid. VVhy the Church approv'd the practise of Communicating in one Kind only Pag. 231 What things are common to three Divine Persons and what are not common 39 Concupiscence remains in the Regenerate but has not truly the Nature of Sin 167 Evil Concupiscence the Root of all Evil. 438 Concupiscence of other Mens Goods and Wife how it differs 439 What Concupiscence is 441 The Power of Concupiscence not always to be accounted vicious ibid. The Power of Concupiscence implanted in us by Nature yet by God's Appointment ibid. The Concupiscence of our First Parents corrupted by Sin ibid. The Power of Concupiscence if moderated is profitable ibid. Why S. Paul call'd Concupiscence Sin 442 What is meant by Thou shalt not covet 443 Another's Wife not to be coveted 445 Not to covet another's Wife what it signifies ibid. How dangerous it is to covet another's Wife ibid. Who are most guilty of Concupiscence 448 The Antidotes of evil Concupiscence 447 How Concupiscence is known to be a Sin 44â— Covetous Men reprehended Pag. 443 Whence Confidence in God begins 467 Confidence in God is increas'd by calling him in Prayer Our Father ibid. How we come to have Confidence in Prayer ibid. The Creed divided into Four Parts 14 Confession of Sins and the Necessity of it 262 why instituted ibid. its Profitableness 258 its Vertue and Nature ibid. its Definition ibid. its Rites and Ceremonies 259 it is call'd an Accusation and why 261 The Ecclesiastical Judgment made in Confession is far unlike to the Civil Judgment ibid. Confession instituted by Christ of his Goodness and Mercy 258 A Figure of Confession ibid. Whom the Law of Confession obliges 263 At what Age a Child is requir'd to confess ibid. When Confession is to be iterated 26â— Who the due and lawful Minister of Confession 267 In Confession Sins are not to be excus'd 270 The Fault of them that dare not for shame confess their Sins ibid. Diligent search is to be made in our Conscience for Sin Pag. 271 When a Confessor ought to send back a Penitent ibid. The Sacrament of Confirmation 181 The Name of Confirmation ib. Confirmation is truly a Sacrament 182 The Sacrament of Confirmation very different from that of Baptism 183 The Original of the Sacrament of Confirmation 184 Christ the Author of the Sacrament of Confirmation ib. The Sacrament of Confirmation why call'd Chrism ibid. The Matter of Chrism ibid. Chrism made by Consecration of a Bishop ibid. Why Chrism made of Oyl and Balsom 185 When and with what Ceremonies Chrism is made 185 186 The Form of the Sacrament of Confirmation ibid. In Confirmation Three things to be observ'd ibid. The proper Ministers of the Sacrament of Confirmation 187 Why a Godfather requir'd at Confirmation 188 The Assinity contracted with Godfathers at Confirmation ibid. What Age they ought to be that are to be confirm'd 189 The Sacrament of Confirmation belongs equally to all the Faithful Pag. 189 The Adult receiving Confirmation ought to grieve for their Sins 190 The Sacrament of Confirmation gives new Grace ibid. Whence the Word Confirmation deriv'd 191 The Effects of Confirmation 190 c. Confirmation cannot be iterated 192 The Rites and Ceremonies of the Sacrament of Confirmation ibid. When chiefly the Sacrament of Confirmation is administred 193 What Contrition is 250 Contrition is not only a new Life but the hatred of a Life misled and the Expiation we ought to make ibid. The Vertue and Efficacy of Contrition ibid. The Grief of Contrition how vehement it ought to be 252